Obama inviting bipartisan group of lawmakers to White House to confer on Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has invited a bipartisan group of congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday to confer about the eroding war in Afghanistan.

Gates says military will fall in line with whatever Obama decides on Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Despite the fierce policy divide inside the White House over Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday that the military will fall in line with whatever President Barack Obama decides.

Despite debate, Pentagon chief vows no second-guessing of Obama’s decision on Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the U.S. military will not hesitate in carrying out whatever mission President Barack Obama decides on in Afghanistan.

US voices concern over Turkmenistan’s bid to stop students traveling to foreign universities

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — The United States expressed its concern Monday over efforts by Turkmenistan to prevent students from traveling to U.S.-linked universities.

Afghan election recount begins, new results expected next week; more combat deaths reported

KABUL — Afghanistan edged closer to a long-awaited resolution to August’s presidential vote Monday as election workers started recounting suspect ballots and an official said a ruling on whether President Hamid Karzai won or will face a runoff is expected next week.

Ousted American envoy renews charge UN did not aggressively probe Afghan election balloting

WASHINGTON — An American ousted as the No. 2 official at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said Monday he has no second-thoughts about assertions that the organization failed to aggressively probe vote fraud charges in the August presidential election.

Suicide bomber kills 5 at UN food program offices in Pakistani capital

Suicide bomber kills 5 at UN office in Pakistan

Suicide bomber kills 3 at World Food Program offices in Pakistani capital

ISLAMABAD — A suicide bomber blew himself up Monday in the lobby of the U.N. food agency in Islamabad, killing three people just a day after the new leader of the Pakistani Taliban vowed fresh attacks to avenge U.S missile strikes in the northwest, police and witnesses said.

Suicide bomber kills 3 at WFP offices in Pakistani capital

ISLAMABAD — A suicide bomber blew himself up Monday in the lobby of the U.N. food agency in Islamabad, killing three people just a day after the new leader of the Pakistani Taliban vowed fresh attacks to avenge U.S missile strikes in the northwest, police and witnesses said.

Obama security adviser says troop levels only part of Afghanistan stabilization effort

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s national security adviser, retired Gen. James Jones, says decisions on how best to stabilize Afghanistan and beat back the insurgency must extend beyond the issue of troop levels to improved governance and how best to foster economic development.

2 NATO soldiers including 1 American die in latest Afghan fighting

KABUL — Bombs killed two NATO troopers, including one American, following the deadliest attack against U.S. forces in Afghanistan in more than a year, military officials said Monday.

As inquiry of 2008 Afghan firefight begins, militants kill more American troops in same region

WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama grapples with the way ahead in Afghanistan, a decision to launch a new investigation into a deadly firefight is a painful reminder of the challenges the U.S. faces in a country known as the graveyard of empires.

Analysis: Obama’s campaign commitment to Afghan war is coming up against harsh reality

NEW YORK — As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama denounced the war in Iraq, saying there is no military solution there. Now he may be forced to decide there is no military solution in Afghanistan, either.

Obama national security adviser downplays threat of renewed al-Qaida haven in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — A top U.S. commander’s public plea for more troops in Afghanistan prompted a mild rebuke Sunday from the White House national security adviser, as the administration heads into a second week of intensive negotiations over its evolving Afghan strategy.

8 US soldiers die in militant attack on outposts in remote eastern Afghanistan

KABUL — Hundreds of insurgents armed with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades stormed a pair of remote outposts near the Pakistan border, killing eight U.S. soldiers and capturing more than 20 Afghan security troops in the deadliest assault against U.S. forces in more than a year, military officials said.

Billions in US military aid never reached Pakistan army, Pakistani generals say

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The United States has long suspected that much of the billions of dollars it has sent Pakistan to battle militants has been diverted to the domestic economy and other causes, such as fighting India.

Obama national security adviser says Afghanistan not in imminent danger of falling to Taliban

WASHINGTON — Afghanistan is not in imminent danger of falling to the Taliban, President Barack Obama’s national security adviser said Sunday as he downplayed worries that the insurgency could set up a renewed sanctuary for al-Qaida.

Deadly attacks, crashes for US troops in Afghanistan

Some of the deadliest days for U.S. troops in Afghanistan:

8 US soldiers, 7 Afghans killed in militia attack on outposts in remote eastern Afghanistan

KABUL — Militant fighters streaming from an Afghan village and a mosque attacked a pair of remote outposts near the Pakistani border, killing eight U.S. soldiers and as many as seven Afghan forces in one of the fiercest battles of the eight-year war.

8 US soldiers, 2 Afghans killed in militia attack on outpost in remote eastern Afghanistan

KABUL — The military says eight American soldiers and two Afghans were killed in an attack on two outposts in remote eastern Afghanistan.

Five years alone in his synagogue, Afghan Jew is his community’s last gasp

KABUL — Zebulon Simentov lives, eats and prays alone — the last known Jew in a country dominated by conservative Muslim culture.

Obama considers range of options for war in Afghanistan to achieve goal of defeating al-Qaida

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is considering a range of ideas for changing course in Afghanistan, from pulling back to staying put to sending thousands more troops to fight the insurgency.

Report: Brit army chief says he’s ready to boost UK troops in Afghanistan if McChrystal asks

LONDON — The U.K. is ready to send more soldiers to Afghanistan, if asked to by the commander of the U.S. and NATO forces there, the British army’s new chief has been quoted as saying.

Afghan immigrant accused in NYC terror plot grew up with radical influences through his life

NEW YORK — If he chose to listen, Najibullah Zazi could hear the calls for violence all around him.

To achieve goal of defeating al-Qaida, Obama weighs range of options for war in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is considering a range of ideas for changing course in Afghanistan, from pulling back to staying put to sending thousands more troops to fight the insurgency.

Afghan policeman patrolling with US troops opens fire, killing 2 Americans, official says

KABUL — An Afghan policeman on patrol with U.S. soldiers opened fire on the Americans, killing two of them before fleeing, officials said Saturday, raising questions about discipline in the ranks of the Afghan forces and possible infiltration by insurgents.

Official: Anti-Taliban tribal leader fatally shot by suspected militants in northwest Pakistan

KHAR, Pakistan — Suspected Taliban militants fatally shot a tribal elder Saturday in volatile northwestern Pakistan as he traveled to discuss anti-militancy efforts with government authorities, an official said.

3 US troops killed by attacks in eastern Afghanistan, including 2 in firefight with militants

KABUL — Three American troops were killed by attacks in eastern Afghanistan, the military said Saturday, adding to the toll as the Obama administration debates its strategy in the troubled eight-year war.

3 US troops killed in attacks in eastern Afghanistan, including 2 in firefight with militants

KABUL — The military says three U.S. troops have died in attacks in eastern Afghanistan, including two killed in a firefight with militants.

At least 774 US military deaths in Afghanistan region since 2001, Defense Department says

As of Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, at least 774 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Friday at 10 a.m. EDT.