Do soldiers today have to be braver than those of a generation ago?

Hi, Dan Damon here from  World Update

Next week we’ll be taking a look at bravery in war.

Nearly every day we’re getting reports of more casualties from operations in Afghanistan.

What’s an acceptable amount of civilian deaths?

America is attempting a more humane war in Afghanistan.  But with at least 33 civilian deaths being reported, people in Afghanistan are angry and upset.

President Hamid Karzi has called on troops to put a stop to the civilian deaths. He said “Although the NATO troops have done a lot to reduce civilian casualties, our objective is to reach the point where there is no civilian casualty,”

But is this a realistic request during a war?

On air: Should women serve on the front line?

When it comes to women serving on the front-lines of conflicts, rules vary. In Israel, women are conscripted and serve along side men in combat roles.

In the Canadian armed forces women, too, serve on the front-lines and have risen the ranks to become officers in combat units.

On air: Does Mullah Baradar’s capture mean anything?

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is thought to be the Taliban’s top military commander, has been captured in Pakistan.

U.S government sources say that the prisoner is the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the US-led war in Afghanistan began in 2001. And analysts seem to agree that the Baradar development is a ‘big deal’.

On air: Live from the Afghan cafe Ariana

We are at the Afghan cafe Ariana in Paddington where we will be broadcasting from today.

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On air: How do you measure happiness?

Florida updates: videos here / photos here and tweets here. Afghans are happier than they were a year ago according to the latest poll released yesterday.

One of the main reasons for this rise is an improvement in living conditions, with over half being happier as a result of more electricity. And the troop surge has also proved popular. Do these results surprise you?

The results have clearly made governments and NATO more positive, but not all Afghans share the optimism. 

This got us thinking. How do you define  and measure happiness?

On air: Did President Obama convince you?

We knew the figures yesterday. Now, after the speech, we know the reasoning, the strategy and the endgame. Are you impressed? Are you persuaded? And can it establish a democratic and stable Afghanistan, while keeping America and Afghan public opinion on board?

On air: Has President Obama got it right on Afghanistan?

US President Barack Obama has issued new orders for the US military in Afghanistan, he is set to formally announce that a further 30,000 troops are to be sent to Afghanistan in a televised address on Tuesday.

On air: Is President Karzai the biggest barrier to peace in Afghanistan?

The US Ambassador to Kabul is advising President Barack Obama not to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan, until President Karzai’s government proves it will tackle corruption.

A terrible bloody week for NATO forces

The shooting carried out by the US Army major Nidal Malik Hasan in Texas is the latest shocking chapter in what has been a grim week for the armed forces in the U.S and in Britain.

12 were killed, and another 30 injured.