Editor'scorner.

• Position: US soldiers still in Kosovo - Editorial

Amid lots of speculation and guesswork about whether or when a war may start in Iraq, it would be safe to assume that not many Americans are aware that at least 3,000 U.S. soldiers remain deployed in Kosovo, that war-torn province of the former Yugoslavia.

These soldiers are not there necessarily to fight or kill, but to keep the peace. That is not an easy job, given the centuries-old enmities that have kept that part of the world embroiled in endless civil wars.

The experiences of some of these soldiers are the subject of a most informative piece by Roxana Tiron. She recounts an infantry live-fire exercise conducted by a team of tank operators who probably never imagined they would be training for combat away from their beloved armored vehicles. You can turn to page 46 for the complete story.

The largest portion of our editorial lineup this month is devoted to the U.S. special operations forces. Of particular note is an article by U.S. Ambassador David Litt, who argues that, as special operations forces take center stage in the war against terrorism, the demands for their services far outstrip available supply. His piece appears on page 20.

Also in our special-operations package are detailed reports on the activities of U.S. Army Civil Affairs units (page 36) and the latest efforts by the Marine Corps to join forces with the Special Operations Command (page 44).

Additionally, we bring you up-to-date...