Bomb Kills 5 Afghan Cops, 1 Child

(CBS/AP)  A roadside bomb hit a vehicle carrying five policemen and a child in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing all six, an official said.

Taliban militants have increasingly aimed their attacks at police, killing more than 925 officers in 2007 alone. Afghan police often work in small groups in remote and dangerous territory, where they are outnumbered, outgunned and overwhelmed by insurgents.

The blast happened in the eastern Khost province close to the border with Pakistan, said police chief Gen. Mohammad Ayub. He blamed the attack on Taliban militants.

The victims included the five officers and a 3-year old child, said Lutfullah Babakarheil, a local government official. They were traveling in a private vehicle, he said.

The lack of effective police training is often cited as one of the West's biggest failings since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion that ousted the Taliban regime for harboring Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda bases.

Police here are poorly paid - a young police officer makes US$100 a month - but many complain that superior officers skim from their paychecks or that they are not paid at all.

The U.S. began a new training program this year for small teams of American soldiers to mentor and train police officers for several months. The program, which also gives the police upgraded weapons and equipment, is expected to last four years.

Insurgent violence in Afghanistan flared last year, when a record 6,500 people - mostly militants - were killed, according to figures from Western and Afghan officials.

[lovegetpeace]

According to the NeoConservatives, children of Illegal Alien born here are not US Citizens. So, all of you reading this forum, shutdown your laptop/computer and pack out of this nation now.

[lovegetpeace]

Amigo tucanofulano,
Let''s start with you since you are a descendant of an Illegal Alien who broke the law coming here from the East coast or South.

[tucano2]

The "War on Terror" ought to start on our Southern border, and finiah when the last of the Illegal Aliens are deported.

[notblue]

The article stats the militants are killing police and children yet the same mental midgets are blaming the American president. One would think it difficult to midigate and deflect blame from such attrocities but not hereat leftwing central. Troll Nazi''s like McVet and the rest of the ilk seemingly have taken on the job of justifying Islamic radicals actions and the daily carnage they produce. True Americans have this new enemy to combat from within, somehow these ingrates have the misguided impression, or have been able to rationalize away the reality, that these savage militants, who have been attacking for over thirty years, will somehow join the family of peace and humanity after the hated Bush is gone. Who will they blame then??? More Amricans?? undoubtledly!

[excoachken]

Yesterday, in Rochester, New York a soldier died in a local hospital, of wounds suffered in an explosion in Iraq last summer. I would like to know if his death is recorded in the tally of those killed in Iraq or does the Defense Department rule it out of the overall tally because it was in the U.S., months later?

[mcvet]

I wonder how many American''s will have to die HERE because that INCOMPETENT piece of Human Trash a few still call a President HAD to have his War in Iraq? Since the begining of Warfare it''s a rule that has yet to be broken. YOU do NOT leave your enemy on the battle field while you go after the spoils of victory... Sad to say the IDIOT who those Judges put in charge NEVER learned that. HE was under a bar somewhere when it was taught in his history class I guess. Sieg Heil Bush