Afghanistan

The question posted Friday on The Herald-Mail's website was: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says women's rights should not be sacrificed in any settlement between the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Taliban militants. Do you agree? Poll results: Yes: 466 votes (80 percent) No: 116 votes (20 percent) "I can't really answer the poll. As an American, I would say yes, but we supposedly live in a 'multicultural' society that preaches that all nations and cultures are equally valid.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The war in Afghanistan will get worse before it gets better, President Barack Obama said Wednesday, but he declared his plan to begin withdrawing U.S. forces next year remains on track. "What I've tried to emphasize is the fact that there is going to be some hard fighting over the next several months," Obama said at a White House news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. He spoke as the U.S.-led foreign army in Afghanistan gets ready for a push into the Taliban's birthplace in Kandahar Province.

McDougal remembered as 'completely full of love' Frederick Marine killed in combat action in Afghanistan Western Maryland Hospital Center CEO responds to audit Funkstown principal retiring after 31 years in education Jessica Nicole Jackson Othiossinir, 31

DOVER, Del. -- The remains of a U.S. Marine from Frederick, Md., who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this week have arrived in the United States. The remains of Cpl. Kurt S. Shea arrived by plane at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Wednesday morning. The Department of Defense announced the death of Cpl. Shea, who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, in Afghanistan. Shea, 21, died Monday in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The Pentagon said the incident is under investigation, but gave no further details.

BALTIMORE (AP) - The Pentagon says a Marine from Frederick, Md., has died supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. Cpl. Kurt S. Shea, 21, died Monday in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The Pentagon said the incident is under investigation, but gave no further details. Shea was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Fourth-grade teacher Kathryn Toy, who attended Sharpsburg Elementary School with Capt. Ben Keller, presented an American flag to the school March 19. The flag had flown over Keller's base in Afghanistan and was given in appreciation of the school's support for the soldiers serving our country. The plaque is hanging in the front hall at Sharpsburg Elementary School.

President Obama has just delivered his speech to the nation. Thirty thousand additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan to target the Taliban insurgency and secure key population centers. Five thousand of these new troops will be used to train the Afghan military. The president continued, "We will begin withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan in 2011. " Meanwhile in a dark Pakistani cave, another conversation was occurring. "Assalamu Alaykum. Brother bin Laden, have you heard the latest news?

Economy suffers while we pour money into war To the editor: President Obama's West Point speech designed to clarify his Afghanistan war policy should make all Americans shudder with fear because of its goal to "strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan security forces and its government. " Surely, our president must realize the price he is asking our soldiers to pay and our taxpayers to fund with such grandiose goals. First, 849 Americans have been killed along with hundreds injured in this nine-year struggle.