8 U.S. Troops Dead in Afghan Bomb Attacks

Latest Casualties Makes October the Deadliest Month for American Forces in 8-Year Afghanistan War

(CBS/AP)  Updated at 7:38 p.m. EDT

Eight American troops were killed in two separate bomb attacks Tuesday in southern Afghanistan, making October the deadliest month of the war for U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban.

In one of the insurgent assaults, seven Americans were killed while patrolling in armored vehicles, U.S. forces spokesman Lt. Col. Todd Vician said. He said an Afghan civilian died in the same attack. The eighth American was killed in a separate bombing elsewhere in the south, also while patrolling in a military vehicle, he said.

The military issued a statement saying the deaths occurred during "multiple, complex" bomb strikes. It said several troops were wounded and evacuated to a nearby medical facility, but gave no other details.

"Complex" attacks are a tactic insurgents have used before to deadly effect, reports CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark. The American military convoy traveling northwest of Kandahar, was hit by a powerful roadside bomb. Insurgents then attacked with small arms fire amid the confusion.

Capt. Adam Weece, a spokesman for American forces in the south, said both attacks occurred in Kandahar province. In Washington, a U.S. defense official said at least one was followed by an intense firefight with insurgents who attacked after an initial bomb went off. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan

Today's deaths come on the heels of yesterday's heavy losses - 14 Americans died in two separate helicopter crashes. Four died after two marine helicopters collided in mid-air. Another 10 Americans died when a Chinook helicopter went down after picking up soldiers from a pre-dawn raid.

This recent spate of violence - 22 deaths in 48 hours - comes during a time of year when fighting in Afghanistan usually slows down as falling snow closes off mountain passes, Clark reports.

But an upcoming runoff election has the Taliban ignoring the harsh cold season. They've promised more violence ahead of the Nov. 7 vote as the people of Afghanistan await President Obama's decision to send in more troops.

The deaths bring to 55 the total number of American troops killed in October in Afghanistan. The previous high occurred in August, when 51 U.S. soldiers died and the troubled nation held the first round of its presidential election amid a wave of Taliban insurgent attacks.

"If he's going to believe that Afghanistan is a mission that's worthwhile he's going to have to accept that there could be days like this," said the Brookings Institute's Jeremy Shapiro.

The deadliest month of the Iraq conflict for U.S. forces was November 2004, when 137 Americans were killed during the assault to clear insurgents from the city of Fallujah.

"A loss like this is extremely difficult for the families as well as for those who served alongside these brave service members," said Navy Capt. Jane Campbell, a military spokeswoman. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who mourn their loss."

The loss of life followed one of the worst days of the war for U.S. forces in Afghanistan since they launched air strikes in 2001 to oust the Taliban from power.

On Monday, a U.S. military helicopter crashed returning from the scene of a firefight with suspected Taliban drug traffickers in western Afghanistan, killing 10 Americans including three DEA agents. In a separate crash the same day, four more U.S. troops were killed when two helicopters collided over southern Afghanistan.

U.S. military officials insisted neither crash was the result of hostile fire, although the Taliban claimed they shot down a U.S. helicopter in the western province of Badghis. The U.S. did not say where in western Afghanistan its helicopter went down, and no other aircraft were reported missing.

Those casualties marked the Drug Enforcement Administration's first deaths since it began operations here in 2005. Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium - the raw ingredient in heroin - and the illicit drug trade is a major source of funding for insurgent groups.

The increased violence comes as President Barack Obama weighs whether to send tens of thousands more troops to the country. On Monday, Mr. Obama pledged not to "rush the solemn decision" on what to do next in the troubled war.

"I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary," Mr. Obama told service men and women at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. He promised a "clear mission" with defined goals and the equipment needed to get the job done.

Further complicating Mr. Obama's decision is the political uncertainty surrounding Afghanistan. The Afghan government is moving to hold a Nov. 7 runoff election between President Hamid Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah. The runoff comes after complaints by international monitors of fraudulent voting in the first election.

[sean58x]

The terror monkeys will murder hundreds of Americans a month, if they go unchecked. Barack Obama's occupation of Afghanistan is misconceived. Afghanis do not accept NATO. Kabul is a better judge of tactics. Obama's sheer numbers strategy developed opposition from many Afghanis. He might try to out think rather than out run the enemy.

[johnpatrick1]

Makes no sense to just keep piling on the dead and maimed to prove that the prior dead and maimed were worth it...dumb and stupid.

[johnpatrick1]

This war is a frigging waste of our blood and treasure and we should quit the place and let them slug it out among themselves. All of you yahoos who want to fight should just sign up and go over there for they are quite willing to duke it out with you as they have with every other fools who has stumbled into THIER NATION......FOREVER.

[isanyonefair]

guyinpa1960 ... glad you're not President then.

We wouldn't we be in the mess we are in now if the previous administration had put a little more thought in to foreign policy.

If Karsai is not seen as a leader by his people then there is not going to be a Afghan Police or Military. And any US presence might as well end now.

Although for some nothing was learned from the Vietnam experience.

[krmopilci]

It seems that we all agree that Obama is cleaning mess that was made by previous administration.But I think that he is doing it awful slow.Hurry up!No need for so much thinking.Put down on the table what is possible,not what is desired,and choose the best option.If the Taliban reconquer Afghanistan,make it clear for them that you will nuke them if they attack America again and do it if they do.And use the millitary to secure America from the inside.This is just unnecessary waste.But,hurry up man!

[krmopilci]

For the guys who are riding in the armoured vehicles and are waiting when they will stop existing,it doesn't matter whose fault it is.And we here cannot start really taking care of the mess here until these wars are taking resources away from here.I think that neither us here nor the soldiers there are at peace,not to mention Afghans and Iraqis.We can make a good living here without wars,we can protect ourselves without wars.And Afghans and Iraqis need to work for themselves(and everyone else)

[superdem1]

The last thing you ever want to do is get bogged down in some stinking foreign land getting shot at and blown up by the local people. And yet, here we are. And yes, it IS George Bush's fault, it will always BE George Bush's fault, nothing will ever change that. Maybe if he and his allies had gone to Viet Nam they would have learned this, but of course, none of them did. The only question is, will President Obama have the brains to pull us out, despite all the vanity of our generals and our right wing fantasizers who somehow think we could "win." It's extremely hollow to thank vets for their service when you could have, and should have save their lives. Their lives are more important than any false notion of "strength" or "democracy" in these hopeless, backward cess pools. We need to defend America, not leave corpses around the globe.

[lmartink]

W's response was inappropriate and ineffective. W blew it bigtime. If only, if only, he had stayed in Afghanistan long enough to capture Osama bin Laden, he could have been a hero. He could have gone into Iraq later, with a real coalition. Thigs could really be different, but he blew his opportunity.

Superdem1 is right. After 8 years of a full sereis of strategic and tactical errors in Afghanistan, it is impossible to win this war.

Any American deluding themselves with the idea that, at this point, we can "win" should see a psychiatrist. The barn door has been left open for 8 long years, and the horses have either died of old age, or they are in the next state. It is way too late for this one. The opportunity is gone, gone, gone.

[kaylag04]

Hooray for Lyndon Baines Obama! Issuing new boxing gloves and shackling the fighters' hands at the same time.

[usmc_wife24]

to everyone who has something bad to say about this war.....be thankful that you live in a country where another man will fight for your freedom so you don't have to....don't forget that they attacked us first....we are simply repaying the favor.....my husband is a marine in afghanistan right now....you can bet that him and every other guy over there with him have not forgotten what they are there for.....it doesn't help them at all to have people here at home not believing in them or not believing in what they chose to do.....you might not like the idea of this war....but at least have the respect to keep your mouth shut for our boys over there fighting and the respect for the families here at home waiting on those boys....

[msred1108]

Freedom is not free! Thanks to usmc_wife24's husband and my son and so many other sons and daughters. My son also remembers the reason he joined after 9-11. He told me he didn't want something like that to happen again and maybe some of his family be killed. He said that fighting over there was better than endangering his family over here. To put his life on the line....all of the soldiers that do everyday. All of you that have a problem need to Thank a VET that you have the RIGHT to voice your issues without being tried for treason.
The only people who have ever offered to die for you: 1)Jesus Christ 2) the American GI. They fight so that we may live.
PROUD MARINE MOM!!!!

[USMC-Mom]

OOH-RAH!!

If you can't Stand behind the Troops, please stand in Front!

[watchdogtexas]

Go back and look how the media portrayed Bush when the death toll rose.
President Obama and his cronies are running out of blaming Bush for their stupidity.
The liberal media always criticized Bush, but do everything they can to support Obama.
I never thought I would every say this, but with this administration, it is time to bring them home.

[fss2009]

You warmongers are as sick as you are stupid!

[fss2009]

You warmongers are as sick as you are stupid!

[cass1465]

For those calling Obama to "act like the commander in chief", not to be a "whimp" etc.... Allow me to remind you that Bush had the ball and he fumbled it. Not Obama. All he is doing now is cleaning up the mess from Bush/Cheney. So, do we want another comboy in the white house or do we want a real president who thinks before acting on his own? You know we might have to put the tails between our legs and pull out or the country might ended up broke with 160 millions a day it is costing us! Not to mention lives lost.

[olyboy]

It's hard for me to view 7 1/2 years without an attack on the US as a fumble. Perhaps the democratic congress that ran the legislative branch for the last few years of Bush's term in office might get a little credit for the economic issues we face. Particularly in light of the attempts by Bush to reform the GNMA mess against pressure from Frank, Dodd et al.

[inketolstoy]

To continue cass's metaphor, Obama hasn't fumbled it because he hasn't snapped it. He is just letting the play clock run out like some shell shocked rookie after getting sacked. This was going to be his war, and he was going to be a president of peace, but his words and international popularitity did not make the bad terrorists go away. It only encouraged them. The armchair quarterback is finding the play much more challenging now that he is on the field. Snap the ball and run a play, or get off the field Mr. President.

[jclark7613]

We will never win in Iraq or Afganistan. The people have no trouble blowing themesleve up for what they believe in. For every insurgent we kill 3 more are born. Unless we plan on killing everyone in the country it will always be a losing battle. They have no respect for their lives or anyone around them. They put their small children as young as 5 out there with guns to fight us. Bush put us in this mess and Obama need to keep to his word and take us out finally.

[apachekid]

8 U.S. Troops Dead in Afghan Bomb Attacks ...... Latest Casualties Makes October the Deadliest Month for American Forces in 8-Year Afghanistan War.


Deadliest Month on BO's Watch. But that's not being fair is it? The President is still contemplating blaming the taliban, al quada, or is this just a right wing conspiracy? BY not supporting and sacrificing Our Troops sooner or later he'll have enough backing to cut & run which he intended to do in the first place. 3 Am of Day 31 - What a Trader to Our Real Heroes. The Terrorists could see it coming. They recognize an empty suit when they see one. So Sad!

[wyodutch]

Either institute the draft and get the entire country involved.. or get out.

[WrongIsWrong]

Will good KKKristians make good SSoldiers?

[bubbadubba]

If we are not going to do the smart thing and get out at least send in the B-52's to carpet bomb the Taliban.

[Vet_Turner]

8 families and lots of friends will be getting some very bad news today.

Bush was told back in 2001 that he would have 3 years, 5 years max to get in and get out of Afghanistan - then like they had done to waves of empires before - defeat us. Instead Bush piddled around and wasted our advantage. Now Obama can only pick up the pieces. And then you have the people telling Obama that he needs to act quickly. I am glad he is being deliberate. Its easy to make a decision; difficult to make the correct one.

[cass1465]

Vet_Turner, excellent comment. You said it in a nutshell.

[sandy19731]

Well said, and I hope we get out soon. The work is done, the terrorists are out of Afganistan and into other countries. Let's let NATO decide what to do next.

[jscott418]

I was surprised to learn that many helo's are borrowed from countries like Russia? So I guess we cannot even supply enough equipment for our own troops? What kind of Army do we have? It seems everywhere our country is falling apart. Yet we have so much debt? Where is this money going? Why is it that we fight two wars yet neither are going very well. How do we pull out of Iraq when we have seen recently such violent bombings? Has all our military deaths been in vain? Will Iraq eventually fall again when we leave? Does not look any better in Afganistan. I don't think we are doing any good forcing democracy on these ungrateful people. They seem destine to their fate and we are just buffering this fate.

Fifty one (51) soldiers dead in Afghanistan, McCrystal requested more troop on August 30. So to Obama, Afghanistan is a war of "necessity", however it is not necessary to support our troops fighting there. If we are not going to fight why don't we just get out, and live with the consequences that will come after. History is happening all over again, let a whimp of a Democrat be the Commander in Chief and we have another Vietnam.

[retina61]

my name is Ahmet Yurdado?an and im living north-east part of the Turkey(in Trabzon city). my opinion about AFGAN?STAN issue. my country work with western allies because taiban rising. Some Euripion Union don't wanna see TURKEY as a membership but you need Turkey. Turkey shouldn't be last fortress. we have to work E.U and USA because as you can see we are living dangerous world end of 2001 years everybody was so happy and we are saying we defeated taliban regime. but as you can see today situation so different from the 2001 and also so dangerous to. finally im telling that we have to work w?th western ailles about taliban and extremism issue. im sendim my all good wishes from Trabzon city of the TURKEY to my country's fellow USA friends.