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January 29, 2013 In a new book about Gen. David Petraeus, author and journalist Fred Kaplan looks at how theories of counterinsurgency have shaped U.S. military policy in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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January 7, 2013 President Obama wants Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel to run the Pentagon. Hagel's confirmation would put four men with close ties from their Senate days at the center of the nation's foreign policy and national security policymaking. And that's something Obama is willing to fight for.

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December 8, 2012 Sgt. Marilyn Gonzalez and her daughter, Spc. Jessica Pedraza, served together in Kuwait and Iraq from January until December of 2010. But they weren't supposed to go together — the daughter made it happen.

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November 25, 2012 Dr. Najeeb Hanoudi, an Iraqi ophthalmologist, befriended the Desert Rogues, an infantry unit, in 2003. Even his son's tragic shooting at the hands of an American soldier never broke his bonds with his "brothers."

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November 12, 2012 Two authors and former members of the U.S. military tell their stories. Benjamin Busch remembers his grandfather's silence about serving in World War II, while David Abrams reflects on the terrifying beginning of his deployment to Iraq.

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November 11, 2012 On Veterans Day, we remember those who serve to protect our country — including those in the most recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Commentator Sophie Adelman describes the hardship in honoring fallen soldiers.

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November 10, 2012 Spc. Justin Cliburn was in his 20s when he trained Iraqi police in Baghdad. During his deployment, he made friends with a teenager that he says "made every day something I looked forward to." But even their friendship could not escape a violent reality.

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November 1, 2012 Eleven climbers, all scarred in some way by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, tackle a Himalayan climb in Michael Brown's documentary.

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October 23, 2012 In the early days of the Iraq War, during a firefight in Baghdad, Lu Lobello's Marine unit mistakenly opened fire on a family of civilians, killing three. Years later, and after enlisting the help of reporter Dexter Filkins, Lobello reached out to that family for forgiveness.

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October 20, 2012 How can we balance the budget with increases in military spending? What would the candidates do to support disabled veterans? NPR reporters tackle your questions about defense spending and veterans affairs.

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