WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- A U.S. State Department official and ex-Marine captain has resigned to protest the Afghan war, saying he has lost "confidence in the strategic purpose."

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Pakistan's counterinsurgency action in South Waziristan may be welcome in the United States but it is putting pressure on internal relations, officials say.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- To bring Taliban and al-Qaida to heel in the tribal areas, Pakistan told the United States it needs helicopters -- and lots of them. They know that in the Vietnam War the United States lost 3,305 Huey helicopters, including 2,202 pilots killed in action. All the United States could come up with were 10 Russian-made helos; four of them were useless. No spare parts. U.S. services now fly some 2,000 Blackhawks. So do a score of other nations, including Gulf Arabs. But Pakistanis are told they’re not qualified. Why not?

NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama announced U.S. Senate passage of a bill tripling non-military aid to Pakistan at a meeting in New York Thursday.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Kabul and Washington have made "mistakes" in their dealings with the controversial Aug. 20 presidential elections, a former ambassador said.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Pressure from Washington will not influence Islamabad regarding its position on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the Pakistani foreign minister said.

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Amid growing frustration, Afghan President Hamid Karzai threw his sheepskin cap following a bitter meeting with U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke.

Joints Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen gave a bleak assessment of the situation in Afghanistan as U.S. military leaders there said they don't have enough troops to accomplish their mission.

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The Afghanistan government is facing a moment of truth for its fledgling democracy as its second-ever presidential election approaches, observers say.