we're making good progress in the three parts of helmond. transition is a process and we should be as the chancellor will be explaining in a moment or two, we should be trying to make the most of the transition that is going to take place. >> miliband. >> he agrees with me that president karzai and his representatives is very, very important especially in light of the comments that were made. a few days ago, the taliban took the decision to suspend preliminary talks with the united states in light of this, can the prime minister tell the house what his assessment of the significance of this is. does he agree with me that we owe to our troops serving in afghanistan to be more urgently focused on the task of securing a lasting political settlement. can he tell us how the british government plans to play its role in getting the political process restarted. >> prime minister. >> i thank you for this question. it is vitally important that we get this right, the british position has always been that we need to have a political settlement in order

the soldiers started their tour a week ago and were on patrol in the helmond province.t is believed an improvised explosive device,ied or perhaps antitank mine left by russian decades ago blew up the armored vehicle. it caused a massive fire. >> this is a desperately sad day for our country and desperately sad, of course, for the families concerned. it is a reminder of the huge price that we are paying for the work we are doing in afghanistan. the sacrifice that our troops have made and continue to make. we owe it to them to complete this mission successfully and ensure that afghanistan has a stable and secure future where it will not again become a threat to the uk through international terrorism. >> flags at the local bar racks are at half staff. this is the largest loss of life for british forces in afghanistan since 2006. the armored vehicle that blew up was due for a billion dollars decade. the planned improvements have not yet happened. >>> each year more than 7 million americans suffer a broken bone. and in the case of one san jose fractureficer that fracture mar

at least eight people were killed in the helmond province. sara sidner is in kabul, barbara starr is in the pentagon. sara we want to start with you. how close were these attacks to leon panetta? was he ever in any danger? >> reporter: no. they were quite far away from where he was in helmand province. this happened in -- we're talking about 100 kilometers or so away. quite a distance away, however, these types of roadside bombs have been used many times against isaf soldiers going to and from different parts of the country. so of course that's going to put things more on a high alert for anyone visiting, although they're already on high security alert right now because of what has happened on sunday with the massacre allegedly by a u.s. soldier. i want to talk to you a little bit about what mr. panetta has been saying as he's been visiting the country. he talked to u.s. and u.k. troops there and trying to reassure them that the mission right now is a transitional one. their job to help train afghan soldiers so that the afghan soldiers can ta

>> reporter: secretary of defense panetta arrived in afghanistan and went straight to helmond province. this is the area of afghanistan where surge strategy showed real results. security has improved. he met with afghan troops and afghan officials there. he arrived in kabul, meeting afghan president hamid karzai and the minister of defense. he is expected to deliver a letter or statement from president obama expressing his condolences. this is a tough crowd here in afghanistan in kabul because of anger over the koran burning and latest shooting incident down in kandahar but the reality both the united states and the afghan government need each other here. so they will continue to work with each other. the bigger obstacle here is resfaning the -- regaining trust of afghan people that will take time. that is what defense secretary panetta and u.s. military have to overcome in next couple weeks. alisyn: conner powell in afghanistan. thanks for the update. bill: it is not just pain at the pump you're feeling america, shopping starting to hurt too, putting a big pinch on the family budget.