Afghan and NATO forces, backed by helicopter gunships, moved into villages outside Kandahar on Wednesday, killing at least 36 suspected Taliban fighters as part of an assault on insurgents holed up in the valley in southern Afghanistan.

Apr 03

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President Bush secured NATO endorsement Thursday for his plans to construct a missile defense shield in Europe despite firm Russian opposition but failed to win backing for the quick accession of Ukraine and Georgia to the alliance.

NATO is struggling to remain unified over the war in Afghanistan after the United States raised concerns that some members of the Western alliance were not willing to let their troops "fight and die" to defeat the Taliban.

Canada will pull its 2,500 troops out of Afghanistan in early 2009 unless NATO adds soldiers in the dangerous southern region, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday, signaling Ottawa has lost patience with what it sees as allies' foot-dragging.