In Afghanistan's Provinces, Troops Aren't Enough

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- The Army contractor reached into a green lacquered box and pulled out a clump of wires. He was holding part of the IED that had disabled his Mine Resistant Ambush Protection vehicle, or MRAP, just a few months before.

"Here's the thing I don't get," he said. "These guys use really nice German wires, but then they plug them into crappy, old, rundown Chinese batteries." ...