American Deaths In Afghanistan Reach 500

Last 3 Months The Deadliest For U.S. Troops In Afghanistan War

(AP)  The deadliest three months for American forces in Afghanistan have pushed the U.S. death toll to at least 500, forcing a war long overshadowed by Iraq back into the headlines.

Larger, more sophisticated militant attacks have also caused a sharp rise in Afghan civilian deaths - at least 472 in the first seven months of the year, most in suicide bombings, according to an Associated Press count.

In all, at least 600 Afghan civilians were killed from January through July, a 30 percent increase from the same period last year, according to AP figures compiled from coalition and Afghan officials. That includes at least 128 killed by U.S. or NATO forces.

There are about 33,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the highest since the war began, meaning more troops than ever are patrolling this country's mountainous terrain and exposed to ambushes and roadside bombs.

The U.S. military suffered 65 deaths in May, June and July, by far the deadliest three-month period in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. The previous deadliest three-month period was in the spring of 2005, with 45 U.S. deaths.

In July, more U.S. troops died in Afghanistan than in Iraq for the month, for the first time since the Iraq war started in 2003. In all, 92 U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan this year, a pace that would surpass last year's death toll of 111.

The spike in violence is forcing U.S. leaders, including the presidential candidates, to call for still more troops here.

More than ever, the U.S. government recognizes the situation Afghanistan "is serious and needs to be dealt with," said Seth Jones, an Afghanistan expert at the RAND Corp., a Washington-based think tank that often does studies for the Pentagon.

"I think it is an important step that ... the gravity of the situation has been recognized and that there are some steps in place to turn the tide in Afghanistan," he said. "Whether that is successful or not is of course an open question."

Overall, at least 500 U.S. service members have died in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Qatar and United Arab Emirates in support of the Afghan mission, according to an AP analysis based on Defense Department press releases.

"In terms of milestones, it's important to point out that no casualty is more significant than any other," said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Mark Wright. "Each service member is equally precious, and each loss of life is equally tragic."

The AP count is based on information from U.S., NATO or Afghan officials, often impossible to independently verify because of the remote or dangerous locations of the incidents.

The Defense Department count often lags by several days. The most recent Defense Department count, issued Saturday, showed 496 U.S. troop deaths in and around Afghanistan.

Counting coalition troops, Taliban militants and Afghan civilians, more than 3,000 people have died in violence this year, according to the AP count.

In the past, the Taliban appeared to try to minimize civilian casualties by launching its large-scale attacks primarily against U.S., NATO or Afghan troops.

But this year a February bombing at a dog fighting competition in Kandahar killed more than 100 people, mostly civilians. An attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul last month killed more than 60.

Steven Simon, a senior fellow in Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the recent attacks with high civilian death tolls reflect a migration of both tactics and fighters from Iraq to Afghanistan.

"The reported presence in Afghanistan of the head of al Qaeda in Iraq underscores the extent to which blowback from Iraq is being felt in Afghanistan," Simon said in an e-mail. "At this point, al Qaeda's leadership seems to be looking at the Afghan theater as the next big thing."

Afghan and U.S. officials say a big reason for the spike in violence is because militaries use sanctuaries in neighboring Pakistan where they can arm and train fighters who launch attacks across the border on U.S. and Afghan forces. More al Qaeda fighters have been using the region to launch attacks than in previous years, U.S. officials say.

Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, blamed the rise on violence principally on two factors: a peace agreement earlier this year between the Pakistan government and some militants in its tribal areas near the Afghan border, and support given by Pakistan's intelligence agency to Taliban fighters.

Pakistan denies it is helping Taliban fighters or that it has entered into peace agreements with militants who launch attacks in Afghanistan.

Insurgent attacks have jumped by 50 percent in the first half of 2008, according to data from the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office, a Kabul-based group paid for by Western donors that advises relief groups on security.

In a report last week, ANSO said it logged 2,056 insurgent attacks in the first half of the year, a 52 percent increase from the same period last year.

The group said violence was up sharply in relatively peaceful northern and western Afghanistan and the region surrounding Kabul.

Both major presidential candidates, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain, have called for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan. President Bush has said more troops will be dedicated to the Afghan fight in 2009 but has not said how many.

U.S. military officials have said the Afghan effort needs three more brigades of troops, or about 10,500 forces.

Any new forces sent here can expect to face vicious attacks from an increasingly brazen Taliban force. Last month more than 200 militant fighters attacked a remote U.S. outpost in a dangerous and mountainous region of northeastern Afghanistan. Nine U.S. troops were killed and 15 wounded.

Even local Afghan civilians joined in on the attack, a sign the U.S. and NATO face steep challenges in their bid to win the population over to the side of the Afghan government.

"The size of the operation and the ability of the group to get support within the town was somewhat alarming, and it shows that there is clearly some concern with local Afghans, and that's a concern because civilians are the center of gravity in a counterinsurgency," said Jones. "The dangerous message is that there was involvement by the civilians."

[obama441]

TALIBAN: "we don''''t need no stinking timetable"

[babooph]

The "news" is not allowed to show all the horribly wounded,& trashed bodies-they have been directed to show war as "nice " as possible.

[nextgenman]

Woo Hoo! Another Bush McLame Milestone!

[emelder]

American lives are dear ... I trust President Bush and our military have a clear mission and exit strategy (this time around).

[ontheleft]

Bush has all the war mongers in this country believing the Iraq war is the main front in the ''war on terror'' while almost completely ignoring what''s going on in Afghanistan.

''U.S. military officials have said the Afghan effort needs three more brigades of troops, or about 10,500 forces. '' What did Bush just recently do? He announced the shortening of tours of duty. Why is he not sending those troops to Afghanistan? Because Afghanistan has no oil.

[tapsettle]

They must feel abandoned there. What kind of idiot sends a tiny force to Afghanistan in response to 9-11, and a massive force to Iraq to get WMDs that (they knew) dont exist? America must be real dumb to let this idiot sacrifice its armed forces, trash its economy, and flush its international credibility down the toilet.

[txgrouch2006]

All righty then! Something the liberal news media can understand - A BODY COUNT!!!

In news speak, we would say "US forces moving into its SEVENTH hundred of deaths."

ONE hundred to one hundred ninety nine is the SECOND hundred...

[liberalme]

IraqII, now that Bin Laden is in Pakistan--we don''t need to be in Afganistan---now that Bush can''t get the oil---we need to be out of Iraq---2 failed Bush wars--no Bin Laden=== no oil!

[piercetheval]

...Message from the BORG...er...ah...I mean BUSH: Resistance is futile your AZZ will be elimanated...er..ah...I mean "You will be assimilated!"...

[piercetheval]

...er...ah...wait...maybe that was "Your Azz will be Liberated?"

[piercetheval]

...Oh, what''s the difference?

[pvperson]

Not to worry, McCain says that he can close in on the Iraq level. His motto is, 4000 by 2009 or 2010 or 2011 or 2012 or 2013 or etc etc etc

[pvperson]

"What kind of idiot sends a tiny force to Afghanistan in response to 9-11, and a massive force to Iraq to get WMDs that (they knew) dont exist?"

that would be Bush and McCain

[pvperson]

You know, I keep saying Bush or McCain, like there''s a difference?

[randynason]

But, the troop surge in Iraq worked. Right? At least, that''s what George and Gramps keep saying... over and over and...

[lindh4]

500, eh? Well, the US has a ways to go before reaching the Soviet casualties (about 15,000) but given time, they''ll get there. And, like the Soviets got, the US is going to get its butt whipped once again. Remember the Soviets were also invited in to "preserve" the Afghan government.

"come into my parlor, said the Pakistani spider...".

[rave_on3]

And, like the Soviets got, the US is going to get its butt whipped once again.

Posted by LINDH4 at 12:39 AM : Aug 08, 2008

Good to see you''re from a country that doesn''t have a stake in the outcome.

[demwatcher]

Ya gotta feel happy for the Libs. At least, dead American Soldiers gives them something to cheer about.

Especially considering that there is NOTHING to cheer about Obama. NO experience, NO economic plan other than inflating your tires, NO plan for Iraq except for whatever some guy in Iraq says that Obama immediately copies.

And then there is the Do-Nothing Democrat Congress and their SEVEN PERCENT approval rating - Off on a FIVE week holiday, courtesy Queen Pelosi.

[demwatcher]

Of course, Libs don''t know the difference between a good economy and a bad one, as long as they get their welfare checks and FEMA handouts.

[pirmin3]

No wonder Gates wants more troops in Afghanistan. GOP wants the body count up to Iraq levels. If Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon could kill 55,000 in Vietnam for absolutely nothing George needs to catch up.

[nextgenman]

Of course, Libs don''''t know the difference between a good economy and a bad one, as long as they get their welfare checks and FEMA handouts.

Posted by DemWatcher at 02:36 AM : Aug 08, 2008
----------

I agree. And those welfare stimulus checks Bush sent out and his welfare bailouts of FreddieMac and FannieMae and IndyBank and particularly the welfare checks those freeloading injured veteran''s coming back from the VA.

[nextgenman]

It seems as though the violence in Afganistan increased sharply just prior to a sudden geographical shift that formed a new border between Pakistan and Iraq. Afganistan, the war America should have fought and finished.

Posted by onemoretim at 04:28 AM : Aug 08, 2008
---------

You felt that too?! Shook me out of bed.....

[neo267-2009]

I guess the News Media has decided we should CutnRun from Afghanistan too. They spend all their time printing Terrorist propaganda.

[nextgenman]

"I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. Sen. John McCain has a lifetime of experience that he''''d bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002." Hillary Clinton
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com
/washington/2008/03/hillary-clinton.html

Posted by terrorislamv at 06:34 AM : Aug 08, 2008
---------

Spam. How many McLame Miles Points you got so far?

[petro49l]

500 U.S. Soldiers killed by Osama Bin Laden. He doesn''t care how many Afghani Civilians and Taliban are also killed. Osama wants the villages cleared of people and the United States out of the region. The territory is for the growing of poppies. Bin Laden has cultivated the most exotic poppy in his tar heroin business. Even Addicts cannot believe how the drug is mixed with other narcotics to give it a real kick. Osama made so much money dealing, he has invested the cash in legitimate American Companies to reap the dividends of capitalism.

[hokuto1]

Neo267 has a short memory: "I guess the News Media has decided we should CutnRun from Afghanistan too."


Been there, done that. Remember, Dubya cut and ran from Afghanistan in 2003 when he decided to invade Iraq.

[obama441]

will somebody please report terrorspamvirus...

[promaclaura]

The reported presence in Afghanistan of the head of al Qaeda in Iraq underscores the extent to which blowback from Iraq is being felt in Afghanistan," Simon said in an e-mail. "At this point, al Qaeda''s leadership seems to be looking at the Afghan theater as the next big thing."

Afghan and U.S. officials say a big reason for the spike in violence is because militaries use sanctuaries in neighboring Pakistan where they can arm and train fighters who launch attacks across the border on U.S. and Afghan forces. More al Qaeda fighters have been using the region to launch attacks than in previous years, U.S. officials say.

-I feel sorry for our men and women who have to fight in this mountainous terrain. This area makes Iraq look like a walk in the park, and Al Qaeda/OBL know it. How will our next President handle this? Will we continue to let Pakistan harbor these terrorist''s? The radical schools in Pakistan have many replacements for jihad against the U.S. Other countries aren''t stepping up in larger numbers to address this, once again they rely on the U.S. to take the brunt. Afghanistan will never be better until Pakistan is addressed and more Afghan troops are trained. Heaven help us.

[obama441]

TALIBAN: "we don''t need no stinking timetable"

[obama441]

TALIBAN: "time is on our side" he,he

[promaclaura]

Been there, done that. Remember, Dubya cut and ran from Afghanistan in 2003 when he decided to invade Iraq.


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Posted by hokuto1 at 07:25 AM : Aug 08, 2008

We would have had to attack Pakistan in order to finish anything in Afghanistan. So the arguement that people use that we "didn''t finish the job" means that they must have been o.k. with entering Pakistan terrority to "finish the job". Remember, the Taliban/Al Qaeda turned tail and ran to Pakistan, went to fight jihad in Iraq, got kicked out, and have returned to Pakistan where they feel warm and cozy. Pakistan is unstable with "nukes", a bigger blood bath in the making.

[obama441]

We would have had to attack Pakistan Posted by ProMacLaura.."we" are you actually fighting the TALIBAN? mano a mano?

[obama441]

or are you just an arm chair "warrior"?

[promaclaura]

We would have had to attack Pakistan Posted by ProMacLaura.."we" are you actually fighting the TALIBAN? mano a mano?


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Posted by obama441 at 08:33 AM : Aug 08, 2008

"We" being the U.S. and allied forces. Picky, Picky, Picky.

[promaclaura]

obama441 - Are you joking around or do you really support the Taliban?

[obama441]

is their homeland.....you hate "illegals" they''re invading your homeland RIGHT?

[promaclaura]

is their homeland.....you hate "illegals" they''''re invading your homeland RIGHT?


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Posted by obama441 at 08:38 AM : Aug 08, 2008
Your post is short, but I believe you are implying that the U.S. are the illegals in Afghanistan and the Taliban is fighting to get it back? Correct?

[obama441]

rude awakening hmmm?

[promaclaura]

rude awakening hmmm?

Posted by obama441 at 08:46 AM : Aug 08, 2008

Not at all, the Taliban are a bunch of radical thugs that ran Afghanistan into the ground. Afghanistan wants a better life, one where they don''t turn soccer fields into killing fields in the name of radical jihad. The Taliban harbored and grew Al Qaeda in it''s womb of protection. This group helped hatch the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, so do not ask me to feel sorry for the poor evil Taliban. My kid''s doctor is a muslim from Pakistan and he is wonderful, that is the type of muslim I admire, not woman beating, be-heading psycho''s.

[promaclaura]

Gotta go. obama441 - if the U.S. harbored a group that came over and attacked the Taliban for no reason at all, I''m sure they would want to come over here and rid the U.S. of them. The Taliban made a big mistake attacking the U.S., if they or other muslims are unhappy with their lot in life, look to your own government to blame instead of ours. First blood was drawn from the Taliban and OBL, they just thought we wouldn''t do anything about it.

[obama441]

ProMacLaura now you''re some kind of "mother Teresa", let the people of Afghanistan sort out their problems...

[talkingham]

Mission Accomplished Bush.

[binloafin58k]

Osama spends too much time in Waziristan watering his exotic poppies. His clique can manufacture the tar heroin. Why not come out and watch the fighting between the Coalition and Taliban?

[element51]

Demwatcher....Just to set the record straight, I joined the military at age 17, worked my way through college, taught for 26 years, raised a family, worked hard and saved for retirement and have never asked anyone for a cent. When you make statements that all democrats are looking for welfare checks and FEMA handouts you are simply showing your ignorance. You lose your credibility by saying things like that. It seems that you think that by posting insults it will bring people over to your side. I refuse to take part in the name calling because I realize that there are many people who are of a different opinion that are good decent people who actually want most of the same things that I want for their families and their country. May I suggest to you that you stop and think for a moment before you choose to post insulting statements.

[notblue]

Afghanistan was taken over by the Islamic extremist group known as the Taliban. They tried to wipe out all semblance of Afghan culture and replace it with their own version of a barbaristic 6th century theocracy. They were defeated which allowed the Afghans to reinstate their own democracy. These savage extremists have been relegated to a wild mountanous region yet they still carry out attacks and take lives. It is depressing to read the idiotic tripe spewed by the leftwing haters that frequeent these posts. To them it''s all ones man''s fault, the hated Bush, never once blaming the true evil that has caused all the unrest and war in the modern world, namely Islamic extremism.

[leftyintexas]

.... It is depressing to read the idiotic tripe spewed by the leftwing haters that frequeent these posts. To them it''''s all ones man''''s fault, the hated Bush, never once blaming the true evil that has caused all the unrest and war in the modern world, namely Islamic extremism.

Posted by notblue at 11:04 AM : Aug 08, 2008

I normally don''t bother with your posts because I believe you are an idiotic bushite but I want to correct something you said. You and the other bushites tend to believe in your own little minds that the other 75% of Americans are against the war in Afghanistan too. That is not true. We support THAT war because that is where Al Queda, namely Bin Laden and his leaders were hiding. The Taliban allied themselves with Bin Laden and thus became our enemy as well. YOU and the other DUMBYA supporters helped elect a President has that is incompetent, egotisical, and stubborn. He surrounds himself with other incompetents which makes matters worse. As a result, HE $crewed up big time by ALLOWING the Al Queda leaders to escape to Pakistan and withdrew needed troops from Afghanistan in order to fight HIS private war in Iraq. Get the picture now?... Probably not. Only 165 days left! Enjoy!

[notblue]

leftyintexas, what is idiotic is the way you libs cherry pick your enemy countries based on politics. THe reality is Islamic extremism is an ideology that has no allegiance to any SPECIFIC country but if your type were to acknowledge that REALITY it would exemplify the fact that your critisism regarding the WAR ON TERROR is flat out wrong, just politcally driven nonsense.

[hotpaulie]

notblue - Bush makes all his descisions based on politics...its no secret his first 4 years in office were run to get re-elected

[xxunknown]

American Deaths In Afghanistan Reach 500
-----------------------------------------
And what is the number of American caused deaths in Afghanistan? King George is a ***.

[promaclaura]

ProMacLaura now you''''re some kind of "mother Teresa", let the people of Afghanistan sort out their problems...


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Posted by obama441 at 09:04 AM : Aug 08, 2008

I completely agree. Now, if you could convince the ones that flew planes into our buildings to stay in Afghanistan and stop gunning for us we could all live in peace. I won''t hold my breath.