The cost of war is coming into painful focus for Americans as the month of August closes as the deadliest so far in the decade-long war in Afghanistan, and as a Congressional watchdog releases research showing that tens of billions of dollars meant for contractors in both the Afghan and Iraq conflicts have been squandered.
As of last night, the US
fford to limit attacks ahead of the withdrawal of so many American troops.
topping by one the death toll for July 2010, which was previously the deadliest single month since the invasion was first ordered by President George W Bush in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
While a disturbing statistic by any measure, particularly at a time when President Barack Obama has ordered the withdrawal by September 2012 of all 33,000 of the extra troops he sent in as part of a surge strategy in Afghanistan, it was skewed by a single attack on a Chinook helicopter on 6 August which killed 30 US service personnel, including 17 Navy Seals. It marked the single-largest loss of life since the start of the war.
Other nations contributing to the Nato force have also seen losses this month, including four French and two British fatalities. These have come, however, at a time of relative calm on the battlefields of Afghanistan, thanks in part to the observance of Ramadan and also, strategists say, to a sense among Taliban commanders that they can afford to limit attacks ahead of the withdrawal of so many American troops.
