US suffers heavy troop losses in Afghanistan

Published on Tuesday 27 October 2009 16:50

US TROOPS in Afghanistan suffered a further eight losses today, turning October into the deadliest month for American forces in the country since the conflict began in 2001.

The latest deaths occurred as a result of "multiple, complex" bomb strikes in southern Afghanistan, bringing the grim total of deaths for the month to 55.

It comes as President Barack Obama faces increased pressure to respond to a call from the US's top commander on the ground to send a further 40,000 troops to the region.

Today's news that another eight servicemen had been killed by insurgents marks the end of a particularly bloody 48 hours for US fighters in the region.

Yesterday saw 14 Americans lose their lives in two separate airborne crashes.

Of those killed when a helicopter hit the ground while returning from a firefight with suspected Taliban drug traffickers, three were agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

It was the first such casualties for the agency since it began work in Afghanistan in 2005.

Recent polls have suggested that public support for US involvement in the country is waning.

Earlier this month an Associated Press-GfK survey revealed that approval now stood at 40%, down from 44% in July.

In a further blow to morale, news broke today of the first US official to resign in opposition to the Afghanistan war.

The Washington Post reported that Matthew How – who fought in Iraq before joining the State Department – had stepped down from his senior civilian post in the Zabul province – a Taliban stronghold.

According to the newspaper, Mr How told superiors that he believed the war was fuelling the insurgency.

In a resignation letter dated September 10 but released today, he wrote: "I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States' presence in Afghanistan."

He added: "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end."

President Obama has convened his war council six times in recent weeks to discuss the forward strategy in Afghanistan.

But he has yet to show his hand regarding the possibility of sending tens of thousands of additional troops to the region.

He is now facing increased political pressure to respond to calls by the US's top commander in the region for 40,000 additional soldiers.

General Stanley McChrystal has urged the president to order a troop surge to try to turn around fortunes in the flagging war.

A report from the commander reportedly outlines three options, ranging from an additional 10,000 to 15,000 troops to a swell of 80,000 fighters.

But it is thought that he is lobbying for a surge of around 40,000 soldiers.

President Obama's delay in responding to the report has led to criticism, with former vice president Dick Cheney claiming that he was "dithering" over the matter .

Allies of the president have defended his wait before responding and have warned against a hasty decision.

They argue that efforts should be on ensuring that the right strategy is in place before looking at numbers.