tonight, from ghanistan, the way forward for americans on the front lines. also tonight, the big story back home, growing opposition to those intrusive airport pat downs and word tonight that change might be in the air. a follow-up to a remarkable story here that touched so many people about a soldier's courage under fire. but what happens when the fighting is over? and, getting to know some of the people who have so much at stake here in afghanistan. the people who have so much at stake here in afghanistan. it feels a lot like home. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening, everyone. from bagram airfield, as commanders here this weekend begin to marching to new orders d timetable to bring combat operations to an end, the 9/11 terror attacks that sent americans war here in the first place have opened up a new front at home. it is a fight over how much you and i are willing to put up with to guard against another attack in the sky. tonight, at the start of a busy thanksgiving travel week, the tsa appears be backtracking over the new intrusive screening methods that have caused a lot of air travelers to say enough lker with the latest. good evening. >> reporr: gooevening, lester. as the public outcry over t new security measures continues to grow, the head of the tsa is now saying there may be room for flexibility. this as 1.6 million people

prepare to fly this holiday week. as airports around the nation begin to swell with holiday travelers, debate mounts about the new security measures. >> if one of u is asked to go through a full body scanner, we will simply turn around and leave the airport and go to amtrak. >> i think it is just another safety level that we have to go throh so that we fly safely. >> reporter: just this morning, john pistole, head of the tsa said new procedures, full body scans and pat downs will stay in place. >> no, we are not changing the policies. >> reporter: this afternoon a clarification. the head of the tsa released a statement which reads in part -- this has always been viewed as an evolving program adapted as conditions warrant and we will work to make them as minimally invasive as possible. pistole's words after growing public fury.

secretary of state hillary clinton admitted she wouldn't want to be subjected to the pat downs and acknowledged it's complicated. >> striking the right balance is what this is about. i am absolutely confident that our security experts are going to keep trying to get it better d less intrusive and more precise. >> reporter: representative john mica, set to become the transportaon committee chrman in january, was more critical. >> i d't think the roll out was good, and the application is even worse. this does need to be refined. >> reporter: saturday the president said he suppos the stiffer security. and has long encouraged officials to search for less intrusive methods. >> every week i meet with my counterterrorism team and i'm constantly asking them, whether -- is what we are doing absolutely necessary? have we thought it through? >> reporter: the former chief of security at tel aviv's international airport says screeners shou start profiling high risk passengers instead of targeting everyone.

>> some privacy needs to be sacrificed in the process. >> i opt out. >> reporter: now officials are bracing for a possible internet led movement set for wednesday. organizers are telling passengers to opt for the time consuming pat dns in an effort to create longer lines and delays. but experts warn a protest could weaken secity for everyone. >> i think that they're putting us all at ris at the level -- that -- that makes me call it irresponsible. >> reporter: tsa officials are also urging people not to protest on wednesday. and they're reminding travelers if they opt to have that pat down they can do it in a private place and with a witness of their choosing. lester. kristen wel kechltker, than. >> in a afghanistan where the war on terror began, the decision to end american combat operations by the end of 2014

has also started a new count down to get ahan forces ready to take over the fight. from thekies over eastern afghanistan, a look tonight at how that is going. >> reporter: at the end of 2014 hand-over of combat duties to afghan forces is to succeed it will largely rest in the hands of men like this man, the pilot in afghanistan's air force which is just getting its first western fixed wing aircraft. these italian c-27 transrts. >> soon he will sit in the commander's seat. for now heap is runninghe checklist from the third cockpit seat as two american training pilots snake the plane through mountain passes jus 1,000 feet from the ground. th mission, to deliver bundles of walter by parachute outside a

forward operating base. in the bk an afghan crew member works with american and canadian advisers to prepare for extraction. the rear ramp opens. and minutes later, the first bundle is on its way. u.s. air force advisory pilot ja bean says the afghan airmen are learning quickly. >> there is a plan in place right now to begin for them to train, train their own people. we're beginning that in our uadron. and that's really the goal that we are working towards in the near future. >> on the receiving end of the supplies down there are afghan oops who like their counterparts up here in the plane are accompanied by american advisers. timately the hope i the afghans will do awfll of this b themselves. recent attacks on allied convoys crossing from pakistan illustrate the risk of land supply routes. in a country with no rail

network, millions of pounds of supplies are dropped to the battle field by air a month. >> anything in the kitchen can be dropped. anything shot out of a gun, we drop. >> just e of the many combat skills, afghanistan's fledgling military will have to master by the deadline. the lieutenant has faith they ll be ready. >> i have got national army, and afghan national army air force by 2014 will be ready. >> there is reward ineing part of a successful airdrop. he, however, looks forward to tomorrow and someday leading flights like this wit his countrymen putting a new face on an old war. while afghan forces vow to be ady by the end of 2014, t taliban said today, they would fight to force the u.s. to pull out before the deadline. a claim dismissed by american commanrs here. troubling news today out of north korea, a country known to

harbor nuclear ambitions. an american scientist visiting that country says he was shown a sophisticated new uranium enrichment plant that u.s. officials say they didn't even know exisd. more on what this means, from nbc's mike vicarra at the white house. hello, mike. >> reporter: good evening. officials dismiss threatening displays as negotiating ploys tonight a potentially dangerous advance in that country's nuclear program has everyone's attention. it is a new challenge from an old nemesis, a defiant north korea building a uranium enrichment plant one more advanced than experts thought possible for the reclusive regime. today, u.s. officials reacting. >> awful th-- all of this is consistent with belligerent behavior, instability creation in the part of the world that is dangerous. >> reporter: the plant could supply materiel to expand and

strengthen the north's nuclear arsenal. details come from an eert invited to visit the facility nine days ago. the man describes what he saw as stunning. instead of seeing a to small cascades of centrifuges, we saw a modern clean centrifuge plant of more than 1,000 centrifuge when warned the plant would raise international concerns, he says a north korean official told them they can think what they want. >> it is good to be back -- >> reporter: the obama administration dispatched its top envoy. like much of what happens in the north remains a mystery as kim jong il appears to be passing power to kim jong un. tensions have grown. it was accused of sinking a south korean warship in march killing 46 sailors and followed a series of provocations includg tests of nuclear devices and lg-range missiles.

1 11 days ago, president obama visited. >> we made it clear north korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons will only lead to more isolation and less security for them. >> reporter: back from the nato summit the president and his cabinet continued battling on another nuclear issue. lobbying senate republicans on the s.t.a.r.t. treaty with russia. >> whether you are already convinced or can be convince i'd think we want to get our inspectors back on the ground the on way to do that is by ratifying is treaty. >> lester what has many experts surprised is the speed by which north korea constructed the facility. itidn't exist a year and a half ago. and many believe despite international sanctions on the regime there is no way they could have done it without outside help. lester. thanks. for years the catholic church has imposed a total ban on the use of condoms. but as weeported here last night, the pope may be signaling some flexibility on the subject. and that has triggered intense

worldwide reaction. so much so tt the vatican today rushed to clarify the pope's remarks. more on all this from nbc's anne thompson in new york. an >> reporter: good evening. the vatican is making clear, pope benedict xvi is not endorsing condom use. the chief spokesperson insisted there is nothing, quote, revolutionary in benedict's statement to a german journalist in certain cases such as when a male prostitute uses a condom it could be the first step to acceptg reonsibility. thepope's remarks came in answer to a question about his 2009 trip to africa when the pope was roundly criticized for refusing to allow condom use to stop the spread o aids. in the interview, the pope said condom as len do not solve the problem and muc more needs to be done to return sexuality to an expression of love. lester. anne thompson in new york. thanks. when "nightly news" continues tonight from afghanistan, a soldier's story, richard engel

with an extraordinary follow-up to atory you saw here this summer. on many patrols here, the sergeant is the point man. if there is an i.e.d. in t ground, he will most likely see it first or step on it. >> tonight his remarkable journey home. what happens when the fighting ends? my job at ge capital is to get bobcat all the financial and business support they need. we provide financing for every bobcat dealer in north america. together, we've rolled out over 100,000 machines to small businesses all over the country so they too can grow. ♪ ge capil. we're there for bobcat every step of the way. ♪ ge capil. we're there for bobcat every step of the way.

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in the battle and real emotion afterwards talking about the sacrifice he has see here. where is the sergeant now? richard engel joins us now with that part uh the story, the journey home, richard. >> od to see you here. the sergeant and his unit are no longer in afghanistan. that doesn't mean for them the wa is necessarily over. for a lot of sdiers especiay those who saw intense combat they bring the experiences and sometimes the draw ma back home with them. [ guire ] >> reporter: before sun down last summer soldiers from the 82nd airborne division fight off taliban attack on an american outpost near kandahar. >> stay low! stay low! >> reporter: minutes into the fighthree american troops are injured including two in a key defense tower. sergeant lewis loftis moves in and takeup a machine gun. soon, the tower is back up.

>> shoot! >> reporter: after 30 minutes the taliban assault is driven off. >> make sure you get security on the intersection. >> reporter: we met the sergeant earlier in the week on patrols the combat veteran on his second afghan tour volunteers to be up front spotting for bombs. >> heads up. hands up. come here. >> i'm constantly being alert in what is the next five meters, and the next 25 meters in front of me. >> reporter: on base, loftis find relieve by looking at photographs ofhe girl he wants to marry when he goes home to akron, ohio. ♪ but he knows there is a chance he might not make it. friend was just killed by a roadside bomb. when i ask about it, loftis shows how strong he wants to be and how affectede is. >> right now, i'm kind of numb to it. to be honest. i just don't really feel much. i pray for his family. i pray for his soul that, you know, yet i try not to think

out it. because when you think about it then i get like this. it's not, it's not -- you know -- oh, yeah. yeah, you know, everyone deals in their own way. i try to hide it. i try not to think about it. because i got to stay 100%, i got to, i kee a good example for the other soldiers. i'm sorry. >> reporter: five months after we met him, loftis returned to akron. 23 years old he is ming in with the girlfriend he missed so much. >> this card here i used to carry in my sleeve on patrol. >> reporter: honorably

discharged, loftis lef the army just two days ago. >> this is the new uniform. >> reporter: loftis said his service is the greatest accomplishment of his life. >> i fought for country. i am proud of what i did. oud of the guys i fought with. here are some of the guys. >> reporter: but he tells me he still thinks of the war and drms he is on patrol. >> vivid dreams. random patrol. hanging out with guysn the army i have known. some of them we will be on patrol, shot at with no gu i don't have a gun in my dream. reporter: for loftis just being at home is a big adjustment. >> surprise! >> hey, how is it goin >> reporter: at a surprise party, h mother toasts him with champagne. >> this ties liis to louis for happiness. >> reporter: heever had any before. >> his grandma reminds him to say grace. >> reporter: it is overwhelming he is still coping with afghanistan. an army psychologist told loftis he is too emotionally distraught to be evaluated for

post-traumatic stress disorder. >> i have to tell myself it is all right. just relax. try to divert my thinking about some of the worst memori. russell simmons loftis plans to use the g.i. bill to go to college. he is not sure when he will start. he still intends to marryis girlfriend but for now is taking life one day at a time. richard engel, nbc news, akron, ohio. >> why? >> because. 250,000. calculating... ooh! answer: ve fifty! 550 bucks?! 5 dollar, 50 cents. minus redeeming charge. leaving 50 cents. say what? happy time! what kind of program is this? want better rewards? switch to discover. america's number 1 cash rewards program. it pays to discover. copd doesn't just make it hard to breathe... it makes it hard to do a lot of things. and i'm a guy who likes to go exploring ...

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accused as spies after crossing into iran. one, sarah shord was released and two others remain in cuody. now iran's top human rights officials tells nbc's ann curry that she was not capable of espionage in t first place and her two companion maze not be spies either. ireland is getting a bailout. that country reached an agreement with the european central bank on a $140 billion rescue plan, known until recently as a booming celtic tiger, ireland's banking crisis brought the country close to financial collapse. back home, julie johnson won an unprecedented fifth nascar. finished second, but earned enough points to take the title. only richard petty and dale earnhardt have won more. we're back in moment with more from afghanistan, and a visit to a place americans don't get to see very often.

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if cial for daily use is ght for you. for a0-tablet free trial offer, go to cialis.com. as americans back home get ready for thanksgiving this week, we have just reached the end of holiday period here in afghanistan. and so we close tonight with a look at something we don't see enough of here, real life. in a way it is what the fightg here is all about preserving the rights of ordinary people to live their lives at peace and care for their families. something that can be enormously difficult in country at war.

♪ life goes on in the popular kabul bakeshop where this man works. war or not, customers ce and go buyintreats for theoly muslim holiday. he is back in kabul after 22 years living in iran. he and his family fled there after he was wounded fighting the russians during their afghanistan occupation. back at the family's home, his 89-year-old father-in-law visiting from the holiy prays. i was honored to be welcome into the home on the first day of the festive holiday. and invited to sit as tea, nuts and sweets baked were laid befo me. you make all these? >> translator: yes, he made them

all. >> they're very good. you could sell these in america. >> translator: he said take me to america i will sell it there. >> my colleague joined me to translate. how do you celebrate the holiday? >> translator: he says that they want people to celebrate in peace and just enjoy. >> reporte . >> he showed me more family photos and showed some of mine. this is my son, and my father. he talked about his daughters and his hopes for em. >> translator: he himself is illiterate. his hope is that his kids, daughters will get an education so they won't have to struggle the way he struggled. >> i think many americans feel the same way. we alws want better for our children than what we had. she s finished her studies and wants to be a dentist. in english she told me of the often hard reality of living in kabul. >> our culture is weak, we are

afraid that explosion of bomb. >> on this holiday, the girl and her family wish for a peaceful future as they celebrate the traditions, frnds, family and the giving of gift. my thanks to our hosts. and this week has much more in store for us here in afghanistan. including thanksgiving live wi the troops. something i am really looking forwarto. that's nbc "nightly news" for this sunday. and "football night in america" an followed by "nbc sunday nighfootball." brian williams will be back tomorrow. i'm lester holt, reporting from afghanistan, and for all of us here at nbc news, good night.