8 Americans Dead in Fierce Afghan Battles

Hundreds of Militants Attack Remote Outposts Near Pakistan Border; Taliban Claims Responsibility for Attacks

(AP)  Updated 9:58 p.m. EDT

Hundreds of insurgents armed with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades stormed a pair of remote outposts near the Pakistan border, killing eight U.S. soldiers and capturing more than 20 Afghan security troops in the deadliest assault against U.S. forces in more than a year, military officials said.

The fierce gunbattle, which erupted at dawn Saturday in the Kamdesh district of mountainous Nuristan province and raged throughout the day, is likely to fuel the debate in Washington over the direction of the troubled eight-year war.

It was the heaviest U.S. loss of life in a single battle since July 2008, when nine American soldiers were killed in a raid on an outpost in Wanat in the same province.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, plans to shift U.S. troops away from remote outposts that are difficult to defend and move them into more heavily populated areas as part of his new strategy to focus on protecting Afghan civilians.

U.S. troops used artillery, helicopter gunships and airstrikes Saturday to repel the attackers, inflicting "heavy enemy casualties," according to a NATO statement. Fighting persisted in the area Sunday, U.S. and Afghan officials said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. NATO spokesman Brig. Gen. Eric Tremblay said the assailants included a mix of "tribal militias," Taliban and fighters loyal to Sirajudin Haqqani, an al Qaeda-linked militant based in sanctuaries in the tribal areas of Pakistan near the Afghan border.

Coming up on the "CBS Evening News": Afghanistan: The Road Ahead, a 3-part, in-depth examination of the escalating conflict, airing Oct. 5-7, 6:30 ET.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan

Nearly 300 militant fighters flooded the lower, Afghan outpost then swept around it to reach the American station on higher ground from both directions, said Mohammad Qasim Jangulbagh, the provincial police chief. The U.S. military statement said the Americans and Afghans repelled the attack by tribal fighters and "inflicted heavy enemy casualties."

Details of the attack remained unclear Sunday and there were conflicting reports of Afghan losses due to poor communications in the area, located just 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the Pakistani border and about 150 miles (230 kilometers) from Kabul.

A NATO statement said the attacks were launched from a mosque and a nearby village on opposite sides of a hill, which included the two outposts — one mostly American position on the summit and another mostly Afghan police garrison on a lower slope.

NATO said eight Americans and two Afghan security troopers were killed.

An Afghan military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security issues, said three Afghan soldiers and one policeman had been killed in two days of fighting. He also said at least seven Afghan army soldiers were missing and feared captured.

Jangulbagh said 15 Afghan policemen had been captured, including the local police chief and his deputy.

U.S. Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, a military spokeswoman, said American forces continued to man the outpost and there was scattered fighting early Sunday. She said was unclear if the attackers were Taliban or from another group linked to them.

She said American officials were working with the Afghan army to relay messages to Afghan forces in the area.

Separately, a roadside bomb southwest of Kabul killed a U.S. service member on Saturday, Mathias said.

Nuristan, bordering Pakistan, was where a militant raid on another outpost in July 2008 claimed the lives of nine American soldiers and led to allegations of negligence by their senior commanders. Army Gen. David Petraeus last week ordered a new investigation into that fighting, in which some 200 militants armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars pushed their way into the base, which is no longer operating.

Badar said he had sought more security forces for Kamdesh district. He said Taliban fighters had fled to Nuristan and neighboring Kunar province after Pakistani forces drove many extremists from the Swat Valley earlier this year.

"When there are few security forces, this is what happens," he said.

He also complained about a lack of coordination between international forces and Afghans.

The U.S. statement said the attack would not change previously announced plans to leave the area.

Afghanistan's northeastern Nuristan and Kunar provinces are home to al Qaeda bases as well as those of wanted terrorist Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, whose military chief Kashmir Khan has been unsuccessfully targeted by U.S. missiles over the past eight years. Kamdesh district has no regular cell phone or landline contact and few roads, dirt or paved. Local security forces communicate by handheld radio.

The region was key for Arab militants who battled alongside Afghan warriors during the 1980s U.S.-backed war against invading Russians because it is a rare place in South Asia where the Wahhabi sect of Islam is practiced - the same sect followed by Osama bin Laden and most Saudis.

(Left: Afghans carry the casket of a male student killed by kidnappers, during a demonstration in Herat, west of Kabul, on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009. Hundreds of Afghans carrying the body chanted slogans against the Afghan government and foreign forces for not providing good security in Herat.)

Many Arabs remained in Afghanistan, marrying Afghans and integrating themselves into local society. Many also belonged to Hekmatyar's Hezb-e-Islami group, now sought as terrorists by the U.S.-led coalition.

Bin Laden also considered the region a useful hiding ground, his former bodyguard, Naseer Ahmed Al-Bahri, told The Associated Press in a 2006 interview in Yemen.

It sits directly across the border from Pakistan's Bajaur Agency, where bin Laden's No. 2, Ayman al Zawahri, was last seen.

[garyl615]

I'm starting to think the elimination of "He's a threat...He possesses weapons of mass destruction" was a major mistake! He knew how to keep the Taliban,terrorist, etc. in check.

[cbvill72]

Haint talking previously posted as "7-pesos" and all he ever posted about was the South. Never mattered what the topic of discussion was. He only used about 5-6 lines. AMazing how little one can be educated and how far and wide he can advertise the lack of education. Again....my guess is that he is from the South and has a poster of George Bush in his bedroom.

[mysteriousjz]

A) A question: Who is in whose country, who is occupying and bombing whose territory?

B) Another question: Hey Yankee! How many indigenous men, women, children and babies did you kill today?

[cattiej]

The Afghan people don't want us over in their country..I don't blame them...I wouldn't want Afghan troops to come over here to the States and start patroling with guns and shooting people. President Obama said many times over that he would bring the troops home, the first thing he would do, was to bring the troops home..he lied....he was out having dinner at a fancy eating place while our troops were defending their lives against the Afghan Taliban. These people want us out of their country..what part of this war don't the politicans in Washington understand. Are we going to have protests like we had to get us out of Vietnam? Darn right..it is time the people of America pay a visit to our politicans offices, make phone calls and personal visits to tell them to get us out of Afghanastan. Get us out now....Bring our troops home. To the family's of these soldiers, it is time for you to protest. Once your family member is dead, as time goes by you will realize your loved one's loss was only to line the pockets of the rich people who are making more millions off this unjust war. What did we get out of Vietnam, nothing except now they make toys, clothes and shoes to sell to us..

[AOCGUY]

If the Afghan's didn't want us threre then they should have turned over Bin Laden in 2001 when we asked them too. There are consequences when you harbour criminals.

[99ereHsdadhgaB]

"8 Americans Dead in Fierce Afghan Battles"

Mr.Obama, you got my vote because you said you were gonna bring our troops home, but you didnt say it was gonna be in body bags.

Mr.Obama, you got my vote because you said you were gonna end this war and bring OBL to justice in the US.Where is OBL?

[thgdriver]

Eight more killed while Nobama concentrates on getting the Olympics for his home town. The Bozo couldn't even realize what a waste of time and money that was. It looks to me like Nobama wanted to get the Olympics to his home town a lot more then get our men and women back to their home towns.

Dimwitocrat Truman in Korea. Dimwitocrat Johnson in Vietnam. Now, Dimwitocrat Nobama in Afganisnam. The generals try to win while the Dimwitocrat Presidents tie their hands behind their backs.

[Grandpaof5]

Either go in and fight to win this or get out and leave it to the Afghanys. My son is now there and he tells of nothing good.

[Orlandojon]

Look for the American dead to continue to stack up like cord wood. Obama refuses to give his general the manpower to get the job done. Progressives are useless when it comes to military strategy

[joule18]

by krmopilci October 4, 2009 2:53 PM EDT
Why don't you mention trillions for Israel?

Israel has nothing to do with Afghanistan. Israel is a democratic nation who affords Israel's Arab population every right given to it's Jewish population. There are 1 million Arabs living in Israel.

How many Jews are allowed in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.?

[SHEETPAN]

When will we learn that there is no middle way to win a war? Either go in with commited overwhelming force. Or don't bother.

[99ereHsdadhgaB]

The CBS sunday scissor is at work.Where are my posting going?

[nextgenman09]

Who cares? You're Brazilian. You should be posting on news articles about Brazil, not the US.

[99ereHsdadhgaB]

WTH?

[krmopilci]

In Bosnia(war ravaged country) we have a saying:whoever likes the war,let it first be in his own house!You Americans are somewhat delusional,people are drunk with that superpower and american dream crap.Here is the recipe for peace and prosperity:
-pull all your soldiers into the country
-use some of them to secure borders
-use the millitary budget to build factories
-employ most of these soldiers in the factories together with us here
-reap the benefits of hard and honest work
Point:cops and marines CANNOT solve your problems,you have to do it.By being good,honest,respectful human beings.

[pensacola8-2009]

I think that VP Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are conferring with President Obama about the realities of the Afghan situation and are trying to create a solution that is fair for the USA and the Afghan people.

We have to decide in the long run what is most important for this nation, to win a war or recover an economy. We can't do both.

[salmoc44]

"And as a result of the United States military, Taliban no longer is in existence. And the people of Afghanistan are now free."

George Bush
Sept. 2004


The Taliban no longer exists in the mind of Conservative hero George Bush Jr.

[salmoc44]

I remember Cons telling me that we had won the war in Afghanistan. I told them that we'd be stuck there for years and we'd slowly lose control because the locals would want us to leave. They laughed at me.

[salmoc44]

The Taliban has been defeated,"
Condi Rice
Meet the Press 2002

"With the Taliban eliminated and al-Qaida badly damaged, we have moved into the second stage of our war on terror."
Condi Rice
April 2002


"And as a result of the United States military, Taliban no longer is in existence. And the people of Afghanistan are now free."

George Bush
Sept. 2004

Got that Cons? Your hero said the Taliban had ceased to exist.

Well, at least we spent a trillion in Iraq and lost 4.5K troops to protect ourselves from a country with zero WMD, no ties to Al-Qaeda and that hadn't attacked us so we could strengthen Iran and allow Al-Qaeda and the Taliban to reemerge in Afghanistan and Pakistan. You Cons wanted to stay the same course with McCain who also knew that the fundamentals of our economy were strong.

[salmoc44]

"YOUR POINT ABOUT THE SITUATION TODAY?"

We spent a trillion in Iraq and lost 4.5K troops to invade a country with zero WMD, no ties to Al-Qaeda, and that hadn't attacked us. This strengthened Iran and allowed the Taliban to reemerge in Afghanistan. That is why we're in this situation today.

[shawshank22]

The left is up to the same anti-american nonsense it has always displayed. I was watching the history channel yesterday featuring the 1968 chicago democrat convention.8 america haters were followed by a flock of lawless anarchists to create turmoil over the viet mam.I see the same kind of liberal idiots acting the same way 40 years later.It is shameful and deceitful for the libs to side with the enemy and against our troops in any and every conflict thes nation has ever fought.Jane Fonda,John Kerry,Abbie Hoffman.Jerry Rubin,Bobby Seals,and Jimmy Carter............What a rogues gallary......Be proud libs.

[salmoc44]

Who cheered when we didn't get the Olympics? Cons. What party is essentially led by Rush Limbaugh, a guy that actually wants the President of the United States to fail? The Republican Party.

[joule18]

Especially when it was Democrat presidents that took us to Vietnam, Kosovo, WWII, etc. As demonstrated by the attack on Pearl Harbor, passivity in the face of evil will not exempt you from the horrors coming to your own shores.

[HGOODGUY]

This is how it is going to go folks!! The body count will be steady and probably increase the longer we are there!
Every time a news report comes out giving the weekly death count people are going to grow more and more passive and accept it as the norm. This is exactely how Viet Nam war started. I remember because I lived through it.
There is absolutly no positive outcome here.
More troops, more money is all you are going to hear from the military leaders because this is their job. They are not concerned with the cost of lives, both ours and the Afghans because their brains are programmed to take orders and map strategy period!!!
Most people learn from their experience.
Unfortunaly our Politicians and Generals don't. This is going to go on and on and on until somebody has the guts to stop it!!
If anyone remembers, it was Senator John Kerry, then a decorated war hero that came before congress representing "Viet Nam Veterans against the war"
That was the pivital moment when our leaders started to realize and ask themselves "what in the hell are we doing there?" So far no one with any power in congress or the military has asked this about Afghanistan!!
If nothing else besides saving thousands of lives, just think how the billions of dollars being spent on this fiasco would affect every one of the American people if it was turned inward!
It's called thinking from you head, not your gonads!!

[ThruMyEyes]

I've read all the comments. Bush & Cheney had their own agenda & we're all going to pay for it for the next decade or longer. All the money used to fight a non-existent WMD could have paid to send kids to college for free; medical coverage for all AMERICAN CITIZENS (this comment excludes persons here as refugees'guests'& illegally). We have several wars here that need our attention. The President's got more on his plate than any one person can handle. He's trying to figure out how to unscrew-up the past 8 years and move forward. He found time to go to Stockholm. So what. Move On!!
I would like to see suggestions - not criticisms. Hindsight is 20/20.

Wikipedia -
What is terrorism: a systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. At present there is no intentionally agreed upon definition of terrorism. Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror) are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack) and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants. How does that relate to the murders of innocent people in our own country?

WRITE A LETTER AT whitehouse.gov & tell the President that it's time to bring our troops home. Don't pull a Viet Nam and blame our soldiers.