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August 2011 Deadliest Month Yet for U.S. Forces in Afghan War

Nearly half of the deaths occurred when insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter

An Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Spc. Michael C. Roberts
An Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Spc. Michael C. Roberts during a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011. (Photo credit: Ann Heisenfelt / AP)

By Deb Riechmann

August 30, 2011

KABUL, Afghanistan — August has become the deadliest month yet for U.S. forces in the nearly 10-year-old war in Afghanistan, increasing pressure on the Obama administration to bring troops home sooner rather than later.

The 66 U.S. service members killed this month eclipses the previous record of 65 killed in July 2010, according to an Associated Press tally. Nearly half the August deaths occurred when insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter Aug. 6, killing 30 American troops, mostly elite Navy SEALs.

Violence is being reported across Afghanistan despite the U.S.-led coalition’s drive to rout insurgents from their strongholds in the south. …

Aside from the 30 Americans killed in the Chinook crash southwest of Kabul, 23 died this month in Kandahar and Helmand provinces in southern Afghanistan, the main focus of Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces. The remaining 13 were killed in eastern Afghanistan. …

Besides the 66 Americans killed so far this month, the NATO coalition suffered the loss of 14 other troops: two British, four French, one New Zealander, one Australian, one Polish and five others whose nationalities have not yet been disclosed.

So far this year, 403 international service members, including at least 299 Americans, have been killed in Afghanistan.

Full story

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Related reports on this site


In this Monday, March 14, 2011 file photo, Patricia Weaver, center is comforted by Chief Warrant Officer Wesley Norris, right, and family members of Army Sgt. Jason Weaver from Anaheim, Calif., at a Hero Welcome and Memorial Service at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, Calif. Weaver died March 3, 2011 in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. Despite U.S. claims of success on the battlefield, American troops have been dying in the first half of this year at the same pace as in 2010, according to a tally by The Associated Press. (Photo credit: Nick Ut / AP file)

Iraq-Afghanistan Casualties (Aug. 26, 2011)

Iraq-Afghanistan Casualties (Aug. 19, 2011)

U.S. Taxpayers Help Fund Killing of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
(Aug. 17, 2011)

30 U.S. Troops Killed in Afghan Helicopter Shootdown Identified
(Aug 13, 2011)

Iraq-Afghanistan Casualties (Aug. 12, 2011)

Darkest Day in Afghanistan War (Aug. 7, 2011)

Iraq-Afghanistan Casualties (Aug. 5, 2011)

Bloodshed Persists in Afghanistan (July 2, 2011)

Endless U.S. War Price Tag Hits $4 Trillion (June 29, 2011)

No Way Forward in Afghanistan (June 27, 2011)

Obama Prepares for Afghanistan Pull-Out (June 25, 2011)

Dark Day for U.S. in Afghanistan (May 26, 2011)

One American Dies Every 18 Hours in Afghanistan (Jan. 1, 2011)

Screaming Eagles’ Year of Sacrifice (Dec 27, 2010)

Afghanistan War Cost Too High (Nov. 13, 2010)

Afghan War Deadlier Than Ever (July 31, 2010)

Deadliest Month in Afghanistan (July 5, 2010)

1,000 Troops Killed in Afghanistan (May 29, 2010)

Deadly Day in Afghanistan (Jan. 11, 2010)

14 Americans Dead in Afghanistan (Oct. 26, 2009)

Deadly Day for U.S. in Afghanistan (Oct. 4, 2009)


FROM THE ARCHIVES

One Year Ago — August 30, 2010

Tom Horner at the State Fair

One year ago today, I provided information about gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner’s campaign events at the Minnesota State Fair.

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Two Years Ago — August 30, 2009

Iraq War Destabilizes Middle East

Two years ago today, on August 30, 2009, I reported that bombs struck Baghdad and remote communities in northern Iraq as the visiting Iranian foreign minister warned that Iraq’s instability affected the entire region.

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Three Years Ago — August 30, 2008

Campaign Against Michele Bachmann: Day 47

Three years ago today, on August 30, 2008 — the 47th day of my 2008 campaign against incumbent U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District — I issued my position statement opposing the war in Iraq.





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