Today's Headlines from Stars and Stripes

Stars and Stripes, the U.S. Military's Independent News Source: Thursday, December 10, 2009
Top headlines from Stars and Stripes. See the rest of today's news at www.stripes.com Troops fear corruption outweighs progress of Afghan forces Even the best Afghan units lack training, discipline and adequate reinforcements. In one new unit in Baghlan province, Afghan soldiers cower in a ditch whenever shooting breaks out. Others routinely steal U.S.-supplied fuel, equipment and weapons. And a few are suspected of collaborating with the Taliban against the Americans. Stop-loss pay starts flowing in December After weeks of uncertainty, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will start issuing retroactive stop-loss payments on Dec. 16, officials said. McChrystal: 'I don't view July 2011 as a deadline' The head of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan downplayed the president's July 2011 goal to begin withdrawing troops and said he wouldn't rule out delaying that timeline or even adding more troops to the new 100,000 end strength planned for the country. 8th Army STD screening funds running out A program that officials said put a dent in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among U.S. soldiers in South Korea is running out of money. Coordinated blasts hit Baghdad, kill at least 127 A series of coordinated attacks struck Baghdad Tuesday, including two suicide car bombers and another vehicle that blew up near government sites. At least 127 were killed and hundreds wounded in the worst wave of violence in the capital in more than a month, authorities said. Bastogne to mark 65 years The annual Battle of the Bulge commemoration in Bastogne, Belgium, starts Friday, and while the remembrance typically follows a set pattern, this year's event could have as many wrinkles as a walnut shell. Officials still seeking Futenma solution Even though high-level talks over relocating a Marine Corps air station on Okinawa have been halted, Japanese and U.S. officials said Wednesday the two countries will continue to work to resolve the issue. U.S. training plan: Read first, shoot later As they struggle to attract and retain more recruits into the Afghan National Army, American commanders are hoping that two small adjustments will begin to make a big difference. Despite bombings, U.S. says Iraq must keep lead security role Despite another round of massive bombings that underscored the threat of political violence ahead of March elections, it remains unlikely that U.S. troops will take a major role in security during the vote. CID investigates death of boy pulled from Edelweiss pool A 4-year-old boy died Friday after an incident on Thanksgiving Day at Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch, Germany.
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