Spc. Charles Moore (l.) of Angleton, Texas, along with Spc. Andrew Vanderhaeghen of Rochester, Minn., of 2nd Platoon Bravo Company 2-327 return fire upon a sudden attack by Taliban on Combat Out Post Badel in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border on Dec. 25, 2010. Taliban strength has remained unchanged over the past year, despite a surge in the number of US and NATO troops, military offensives in the insurgent heartland, and an expanded campaign of assassinations of rebel leaders.
PHOTO: Rafiq Maqbool/AP
