Afghanistan

The invasion of Iraq may have been deeply unpopular in much of the world, but this is the sort of horrific story that has done the United States much more damage than the initial decision to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime. And, alas, it’s hard not to think that this damage is entirely deserved. The shame of it. At the age of 19, Murat Kurnaz vanished into America’s shadow prison system in the war on terror. He was from Germany, traveling in Pakistan, and was picked up three months after 9/11. But there seemed to be ample evidence that Kurnaz was an innocent man with no connection to terrorism. The FBI

Christmas in Helmand Province, Afghanistan can’t be the bonniest gig on the planet. Hence this contest amongst the Royal Marines of 40 Commando: who can grow the spiffiest moustache. Best, however, is Major Alex Murray’s reminder that this takes us back to the days of the great Harry Flashman: “Generations of our forefathers have been marching around these hills with the most splendid array of facial hair,” he says. “We found throughout history, the upper lip has been stiffened with a good moustache. “Some aspects of warfare are timeless, and in this case the requirement for impressive facial hair is as important today as it was for our forefathers working