Afghanistan War News Updates -- April 25, 2012

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Scott Shepro, left, and Spc. Ramiro Bojorquez patrol through the village of Askarkot along Highway 1 in Afghanistan's southern Ghazni province, April 20, 2012. Shepro and Bojorquez are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod

A Marine Two-Star: Why Afghanistan Is Like Vietnam -- Mark Thompson

After years of U.S. officials insisting Afghanistan is not turning into another Vietnam, a two-star U.S. Marine general — just back from a year-long combat tour there — says Afghanistan could well end up resembling the southeast Asian nation.

Major General John Toolan insisted Tuesday that while Afghanistan may not be “highly successful” in the short term, the arc of history requires U.S. and allied efforts there to cauterize the regional instability that threatens Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, That’s not so different, he suggested, from the way the U.S. war in Indochina halted the communists’ deeper push into southeast Asia, and nurtured the economic powerhouses there today.

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More News On Afghanistan

ISAF Joint Command morning operational update - April 25, 2012 -- ISAF
NATO reports 4 troop deaths in Afghanistan -- AP
Afghanistan bomb attack kills 2 NATO service members in area where most forces are American -- CBS/AP
20 Taliban Militants Killed in Joint Operations in Afghanistan -- Malaysia Digest
Afghans say Taliban district chief killed -- UPI

NATO general 'cautiously optimistic' on Afghan war -- FOX News/AP
NATO shows confidence in Afghan security forces -- Stars and Stripes
Nato accused of misleading reports on Afghanistan success -- The Independent
Report: NATO misleads with 'Afghan-led' label -- AP
NATO Committee Chairman Reaffirms Afghanistan Commitment -- US Department of Defense
Canada and U.S. officials in talks to keep Canadian special forces in Afghanistan after 2014 -- Vancouver Sun/Postmedia News
US must focus on Afghanistan heroin trade -- Yahoo News/Christian Science Monitor
NATO accused of lack of honesty over reporter's death -- AFP
US military criticised for secrecy over death of Afghan BBC correspondent -- The Guardian
In Afghanistan, underground girls school defies Taliban edict, threats -- Washington Post

At least 1,812 US military deaths in Afghanistan since 2001 -- Washington Post/AP