WASHINGTON — The top American commander in the Middle East said Tuesday that continuing violence in Iraq coupled with delays in forming an effective government and viable security forces would prevent any reduction in U.S. troops before spring.

    WASHINGTON, As prospects for the reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq fade, the current pace of deployments is straining the U.S. military, The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday.

WASHINGTON - Now the death toll is 9/11 times two. U.S. military deaths from        Iraq and        Afghanistan now match those of the most devastating terrorist attack in America's history, the trigger for what came next. Add casualties from chasing terrorists elsewhere in the world, and the total has passed the Sept. 11 figure.

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — Marines returning Sunday from a seven-month Iraq deployment dispute intelligence findings reported in The Washington Post that prospects are dim for securing the area in which they served.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Attacks against U.S. troops have increased following a call earlier this month from al-Qaida in        Iraq's leader to target American forces, the top U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON – The top U.S. commander for the Persian Gulf region said yesterday that more U.S. troops are not needed in Iraq and actually could be counterproductive by hampering the turnover of security to Iraqi forces.

A suicide car bomber struck a convoy of U.S. military vehicles Friday in downtown Kabul, killing at least 16 people, including two American soldiers, and wounding 29 others. It was the Afghan capital's deadliest suicide attack since the Taliban's 2001 ouster.

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y.  —  A Jamaica -born woman whose U.S. Marine son died fighting in Iraq has finally been welcomed into the American Gold Star Mothers (search), which had banned non-citizens for the first 77 years of its existence.