Today the White House announces a compromise with the limited repeal of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy and we look at the new VA Claims bill recently passed by the Senate.

Faces of War: The Mechanic

Even the toughest military vehicles break down in the harsh conditions of Southern Afghanistan.

Temperatures are topping 110 degrees daily.  There are almost no paved roads in Helmand Province and none in the 1^st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion’s area of operation, plus the sand and grit wreaks havoc with many of the moving parts on the LAV’s (light armored vehicles) and the bigger trucks and personnel carriers the Marines use.

Fugitive cleric al-Awlaki warns of future attacks

Fugitive American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki warned of new attacks on Americans at home and abroad in a new video released over the weekend.

North Korea threatens military action against South

North Korea accused the South Korean navy of trespassing into its waters Tuesday and threatened to retaliate with military action, the Yonhap news agency said.

WH Reaches Deal on Delayed DADT Repeal

WASHINGTON –- The White House announced a compromise deal with congressional leaders on Monday night to pass a limited repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law in coming days, but leaving the final implementation details to the Pentagon.

McChrystal Calls Marjah a ‘Bleeding Ulcer’

MARJAH, Afghanistan — Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top allied military commander in Afghanistan, sat gazing at maps of Marjah as a Marine battalion commander asked him for more time to oust Taliban fighters from a longtime stronghold in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

Senate Passes VA Claims Bill

The U.S. Senate has passed bill H.R. 5014 to clarify that VA health care programs can meet the minimum coverage standard required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Sources: U.S. soldiers focus of criminal investigation

WASHINGTON — At least 10 U.S. Army soldiers from an already-troubled unit of the 2nd Infantry Division in southern Afghanistan are now the focus of a criminal investigation into allegations they deliberately killed three Afghan civilians, used illegal drugs and conducted other illicit activities, several military sources told CNN.

Upcoming Kandahar offensive stirs fears in residents

It’s being billed as the biggest military offensive of this eight and a half year war and it could be just weeks away.

The U.S. military is beefing up its troop numbers in and around the city of Kandahar, the spiritual heartland of the Taliban. At the same time the Taliban is moving into the heart of the city. No one knows how many fighters have blended into the crowds in this southern Afghan city but violence has definitely increased in recent weeks.

Taliban Claims Kandahar Air Base Attack

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban claimed responsibility Sunday for a nighttime assault on Kandahar Air Base that wounded a number of coalition soldiers and civilian employees at the biggest NATO base in southern Afghanistan.