Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

'Serpent Pastor' Dies of Snake Bite Mack Wolford believed faith compelled him to face the risk »

Guns Failed US Troops in Afghan Firefight

M-4, built for extreme conditions, jammed repeatedly in heavy fire

By the Associated Press

Posted Oct 11, 2009 11:59 AM CDT

(AP) – As militants surrounded the remote Afghanistan base of Wanat on July 13, 2008, Staff Sgt. Erich Phillips' M-4 carbine quit firing. The machine gun he grabbed in desperation didn't work, either. When the battle ended, nine US soldiers lay dead and 27 more were wounded.... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

16 comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

'Serpent Pastor' Dies of Snake Bite

Miami Face-Eater Identified

Associated Press (Source Grid »)

Politics

US troops • weapons • automatic weapons • Afghanistan war • Wanat

More Newser Stories

Organs From US Troops Save Lives in Europe

Donations from mortally wounded troops have helped 140

(NEWSER) - Since 2006, organ donations from mortally wounded US troops have saved around 140 European lives, reports USA Today . The families of 36 American servicemembers who were declared brain dead from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan agreed to donate their hearts, kidneys, lungs, livers, and pancreases to patients in Europe. It's the result of military protocol: Wounded troops wind up at an Army medical center in Germany, and those who are brain dead are kept alive on a ventilator to give their families in the US time to fly in for a final goodbye. More»

New Underwear Protects Troops

Protective undergarments limit IED damage

(NEWSER) - US troops are more protected "down there" thanks to new ballistic underwear, USA Today reports. Staff Sgt. Ross Cox was wearing the underwear when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan: His left foot was blown off and his right leg was shattered, but his injuries could have been much worse. "I asked once, I said, 'Hey, are those OK?'" Cox says, referring to his genitals. "He's like, 'Yeah, you're fine. You're fine there.' That's all I needed to know." More»

US Troops in Afghanistan to Get 'Guardian Angels'

...who will watch over them as they sleep. Literally

(NEWSER) - As the number of green-on-blue attacks steadily climbs, US troops in Afghanistan will receive a new protector: "guardian angels." These safekeepers are the flesh-and-blood kind, actual troops who will watch over their sleeping comrades. It's one of a number of new security measures ordered by the US top-dog in Afghanistan, Marine Gen. John Allen. Among the other changes: Troops can now keep their weapons on them in a number of Afghan ministries, and desks are being rearranged so that they face the door, to better observe who is entering. More»

Eastern Afghanistan the 'Final Battleground'

Troops organize for tough spring fighting

(NEWSER) - As insurgent attacks have fallen in Afghanistan's southern provinces, the US is turning its focus toward the east, where such attacks jumped 20% last year. With the US set to take on an advisory role next year, the mountainous eastern region is poised to be the war's "final battleground" as the area's paralyzing winter snows melt, the Wall Street Journal observes. Troops are preparing for a "much tougher" fight in the region, which surrounds Kabul, a major insurgent target. "They are going to come out at us very hard," says Marine Gen. John Allen—possibly as soon as tomorrow. More»

Soldier Suspected in Afghan Killing Spree Is Dad of 2

Details surface about staff sergeant, but identity not revealed

(NEWSER) - Details are beginning to emerge about the still-unnamed soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians yesterday. An official who spoke to the New York Times says the Army staff sergeant was part of a village stabilization operation in the rural Panjwai district of Kandahar, in which Green Berets forge close ties with communities in an attempt to track down Taliban leaders. Other soldiers support the Green Berets in such operations, and an official says the suspect himself was not a Green Beret. Another official tells the Times the suspect has been in the Army 11 years; a third says he is 38, married with two children, and served three tours in Iraq before being deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in December. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Guns Failed US Troops in Afghan Firefight

M-4, built for extreme conditions, jammed repeatedly in heavy fire

US troops • weapons • automatic weapons • Afghanistan war • Wanat

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Organs From US Troops Save Lives in Europe

Donations from mortally wounded troops have helped 140

New Underwear Protects Troops

Protective undergarments limit IED damage

US Troops in Afghanistan to Get 'Guardian Angels'

...who will watch over them as they sleep. Literally

Eastern Afghanistan the 'Final Battleground'

Troops organize for tough spring fighting

Soldier Suspected in Afghan Killing Spree Is Dad of 2

Details surface about staff sergeant, but identity not revealed

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?