"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone In the ranks of death you will find him; His father's sword he hath girded on, And his wild harp slung behind him; "Land of Song!" said the warrior bard, "Tho' all the world betrays thee, One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard, One faithful harp shall praise thee!" -- Verse from the Minstrel Boy
UK pledges equipment to troops in Afghanistan | Reuters: "LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - British troops fighting in Afghanistan will get whatever equipment they need, said finance minister Alistair Darling on Saturday, as pressure built on the government...
Adm Mike Mullen: US is losing war in Afghanistan - Telegraph: "'This is the most dangerous time I've seen growing up the last four decades in uniform,' Adm Mike Mullen told audiences of soldiers and marines, some of whom are weeks away from flying to...
Pakistan Told to Ratchet Up Taliban Fight - NYTimes.com: "WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is turning up the pressure on Pakistan to fight the Taliban inside its borders, warning that if it does not act more aggressively the United States will...
The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner by Randall Jarrell:
"From my mother's sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare...
