No US Troops Died in Afghanistan Combat in the Past Month

Americans are leaving more of the fighting to the Afghans

In the past month no US troops have died in combat in Afghanistan. It's an extraordinary fact, because troops have died in combat every month in the last 5 years, according to CNN.

For comparison, around 237 American soldiers were killed in 2012, and 351 in 2011, according to the Pentagon - on average 20-30 deaths per month.

What's the secret behind the drop in casualties? The US military has made a strategic decision to do less of the fighting, and leave 80% of combat operations to the Afghan troops. As a result, the Afghan death toll is up, CNN reports. More than 3,400 Afghan soldiers and police were killed in 2012, almost twice as many as in 2011.

In addition there are simply fewer US troops on the ground, with the withdrawal of some 40% of US forces last year.

A further reason may be that Afghan insurgency has died down, which means civilian deaths are down too, according to the UN.

Via CNN.

Does this news make you feel more positive about withdrawing troops from Afghanistan?

[PNWest]

Bring our troops home now. Osama bin Laden is dead. "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"

[drpeeper]

But more have died under Obama in Afghan.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friend...

[Chanel]

That is because President Bush actually had a govt/military infrastructure to target. Its easy to see who the enemy is when they wear a uniform. For the past few years we have had issues with irregular warfare/guerrilla fighters. So much more dangerous because they play by NO RULES and its hard to predict what their next course of action may be. It had nothing to do with President Obama and his foreign policy.

[jessejaymes]

Oh for God's sake what is the matter with you? Bush didn't fight a war in Afghanistan. 9-11 got in his way of invading iraq and stealing everything in sight for Halliburton. If not for 9-11 Bush would have never gone to Afghanistan. He was going to iraq regardless. They were planning it prior to 9-11. Bush sent troops into Afghanistan to topple Kabul and that's all his war THAT HE STARTED amounted to. he got NO high level Al-queda OR Taliban. Obama has. Jesus Christ am I sick of the right wing lies.

[drpeeper]

@jessejaymes Well, regardless of your crackpot conspiracy theory that people under 50 IQ believe- Ummm read the link. It's from Michael Moore. More soldiers died in Afghan in the past 4 yrs, than under Bush. You can't ignore that. What part don;t you get ?

[drpeeper]

@Chanel What was the Taliban Uniform? Blazers and skirts? A sharp dinner jacket and slacks? That's the silliest argument I have ever heard.

[drpeeper]

@jessejaymes By the way, since you didn't know- the military doesn't strike up a plan one week in advance. We have plans drawn up years if not decades in advance for MANY military actions. You don't think we would have a contingency plan for say a place close by like Cuba?

Try reading, It's fun.(yes, plans to overtake Iraq date prior to 1998.)

http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp...

[Angry_man]

That's awesome!!! God bless those boys

[DARSB]

Good news for us! Now let's hurry up and grow some jobs so when these fine troops come home they have a way to support themselves and their families.

[NTBFW]

I am thankful for the news of course. But a certain Colonel I know is over there as we speak. His job is to assess this situation. I reserve my opinion until I talk to him again. I know I can trust what he says.

[AntiPorcheria]

That's because the "troops" have been drawn back to a safe position while the CIA Drones do the killing. Yay for our soldiers. Sad for the many innocent men, women and children that are being blown to bits and listed as collateral damage.

[Penn1699]

Ok. So how many offed themselves this month?
Or how about the lack of care for vets? Did you know the VA doesn't keep stats in that?

[MrGreenHerb]

Of course theres a high suicide rate within the military but with the war coming to an end there will be less. Families/Community and help from other vets will only help them adapt to the America theyre protecting. Only time will tell

[AntiPorcheria]

Truly a sad situation. The article from US News on NBC indicated that across the 4 branches of service, throughout 2012, one active duty service man killed himself/herself every 25 hours. And this is a VOLUNTEER military. Imagine if the Draft were again imposed.

[Penn1699]

@MrGreenHerb fooling yourself there. Just talked to an insider with the VA about this problem. They are ignoring it, they have become desensitized because the rate is astronomical.

[Penn1699]

@AntiPorcheria yes, along with daughters on the front lines....

[MrGreenHerb]

@Penn1699 Did I mention VA? No. I mention the troops families and community and talking with other vets to help them get through it. Every war as its disadvantages

[MrGreenHerb]

Good. Leave it up to the country to protect their civilians instead of others having to come in aid them in doing so. We came there for a reason and should have left as easily as we went in.

[NavinRJohnson]

What does it mean when twice as many people are killed in Chicago in a year than are killed in war?

[harold_lloyd]

Ask me again in five years.

Then I might be able to tell you whether tlives were lost pursuing a noble cause, or just wasted.

[drahos]

That's great, but notice the key phrase "in combat". 22 active and returned troops kill themselves EVERY DAY because of the psychotropics they're prescribed and the PTSD.
As far as "bin Laden is dead, MISSION COMPLETE", bin Laden died a decade ago from renal failure caused by Marfan Syndrome. http://blog.thedrahos.net/2011/06/bin-laden-k...
WAKE UP AMERICA!

[BossTweed]

BRING OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS HOME NOW!!!!!!!!!!

[SomethinsFishy]

OK, so let's take advantage of the lull and GET THEM ALL OUT RIGHT NOW!!!