The Scotsman
By Jerome Starkey in Kabul

A SUICIDE bomber disguised as an Afghan soldier killed eight American civilians inside a base used by the CIA and wounded at least six others, in an audacious attack that marked a bloody end to 2009.

At least 23 people were killed in four separate attacks in the final hours of a year that saw death tolls for the largest troop contributors more than double.

The CIA last night confirmed that seven of its employees had been killed and six others wounded in the attack. Director Leon Panetta said those killed “were far from home and close to the enemy, doing the hard work that must be done to protect our country from terrorism”. 

Meanwhile, France hinted for the first time yesterday that it was prepared to augment US president Barack Obama’s 30,000-soldier surge with reinforcements of their own. (Read more…)