FALCON FUEL-UP - A Belgian F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron while flying over Afghanistan, Feb. 25, 2011. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. William GreerAfghanistan, February 2011 -- The Big Picture/Boston.com
The buildup of forces in Afghanistan is complete, with the number of US troops there the highest yet. The surge is part of President Obama’s campaign to take the battle to the Taliban strongholds in the south and east, while accelerating training of Afghan security forces. In February, suicide attacks by militants increased, and villagers and Afghan officials accused NATO of killing a large number of civilians in airstrikes. The images in this month's post show Afghans and NATO-led soldiers working and living through moments of sheer terror and numbing poverty. Through the strife, we see glimpses of the enduring human spirit. --Leanne Burden Seidel (39 photos total)
WNU Editor: The photo gallery starts here.