From the Front: 04/21/2010

In today's From the Front: (Click on link to read stories highlighted below) This post is courtesy of The Thunder Run


Dispatches:
270 Days in Afghanistan: Supporting the Fight
A Major's Perspective: First 100 days
A World Away: Celebration will provide overdue recognition
al Sahwa: Global Engagement Directorate: Islamic Extremism
Katherine Tiedemann: Daily brief: Afghan peace jirga delayed
Katherine Tiedemann: Daily brief: Kandahar deputy mayor killed
C. J. Chivers: Putting Taliban Sniper Fire in Context
the semi-normal, day-to-day life of a female marine: Do I miss it?
Helmand Blog - Afghanistan: Camp Bastion Water Bottling Plant Saving Lives
Family Matters Blog: School Resource Benefits Military Families
Bruce R: The phrase "stick a fork in it" comes to mind
IraqPundit: Iraqis Predict Bad Days Ahead
Kaboom: Kaboom goes Kerplunk
Life as an Army Duck: I don't know you love me unless you say it.
Bill Roggio: Iraqi forces kill al Qaeda’s top military commander in the north
Bill Roggio: US withdrawal from Korengal Valley a 'Taliban propaganda coup'
Mike Francis, The Oregonian: Oregon's soldiers begin to scatter
Michael J. Totten: Lobbying for the Impossible
Registan.net: Guest Post: The Darkest Side of Kabul’s Restaurant Raids
The Unknown Soldiers: Flags of the fallen
Kim Zetter: U.S. Soldier on 2007 Apache Attack: What I Saw
Helmand Blog - Afghanistan: Welsh snipers show courage and constraint
The Captain's Journal: Capturing Insights from Firefights to Improve Training
Jules Crittenden: Re: The Length Of Yon’s … Er … Experience
Soldiers' Angels Germany: The True Heart of the American Soldier
My American-Iraq Life: Jesse Huff's Brother: Satisfied with the Treatment Jesse Received from the VA

News from the Home Front:
Critics of Starbase program gain traction
Surrender now – the army’s no place for you, Private Single-Mum
Gates proposes 1 agency to control military exports
SWAGs bare all to help war heroes
Veteran's brother: Suicide not VA’s fault

News from the Front:
Iraq:
Turkmen Shi'a Visit Sultan Saqi Shrine
Court-Martial of Navy SEAL Opens in Iraq
Al Qaeda in Iraq loses 3rd operative
Leading Coalition In Iraq Election Backs Recount
Wider Recount of Iraq Ballots Is Requested by Vote Leader

Afghanistan:
The Mumleys in Afghanistan
Pipes Playing in Afghanistan
ISAF Leadership in West Changes
Analyzing the Fight
Pakistan military fails to woo tribal allies under grip of Taleban
Farewell to Korengal
Afghanistan Sees Great White Hope In Marble Sector
NATO Backs Down on 'Insurgent' Claim in Shooting
Dispute Flares After NATO Convoy Kills 4 in Afghanistan
Taliban No. 2 Interrogations Yield Useful Intel - U.S.
A Killing Further Erodes Afghan Faith in Leaders
US soldiers wounded in Afghanistan sent to Iraq for medical care
UK soldier wounded in Afghanistan flown to US for treatment
Fall River soldier, 20, dies in Afghanistan
12 girl students 'poisoned' in Afghanistan
Terrorised by Taliban tribals scoff Pak Army's 'war is over' claims
Registration of thousands of candidates for election begins
Led by UN, donors meet to strengthen Farah province
More minesweepers for Afghanistan
Afghan war is unwinnable and we should not be there, say voters

The Thunder Run's From the Front is a daily series that highlights news and personal dispatches from the front and the home front.