Carrying an evil burden with a smile

Afghan Forces Count Cost Of War AFGHAN government forces - in the police, army and other services - are close to the size of around 350,000 that NATO hopes to have built by the time they finally end their combat mission next year. The force has been built from a very low base, and is growing both in numbers and ability, "getting good enough" in the words of the International Security Assistance Force Commander General Joseph Dunford, speaking to the BBC earlier this week. Five years ago there were three times as many international troops as Afghan troops on the ground, now the ratio is the other way around. Next week, Afghan government forces will take the combat lead across the whole country ...

Bill Schools Barry On Syria NOT only is US President Barack Obama leading from behind, now he's leading from behind Bill Clinton. After dithering for two years over what to do about the slaughter in Syria, the president was finally shoved into action by the past and perhaps future occupant of his bedroom. Clinton told John McCain during a private Q-and-A on Tuesday in New York that Obama should be more forceful on Syria and should not rationalise with opinion polls that reflect Americans' reluctance to tangle in foreign crises. McCain has been banging the gong on a no-fly zone in Syria for some time.

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