Deaths Among Contractors in Afghanistan Accelerating as They Outnumber Soldiers

By T. Christian Miller, ProPublica Apr 15, 2010 There are now more civilian contractors in Afghanistan than U.S. soldiers. Using civilian contractors to haul food, prepare meals and act as bodyguards has kept the Pentagon's official casualty figures lower than they would have been in past conflicts, where contractors were not as heavily used. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Droning On and On

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Mar 1, 2010 Dig deeper

The Devaluation of Suicide Bombing

Staff / Truthdig Feb 16, 2010 The bad news: Over the last several weeks, a total of 17 suicide bombers have attacked coalition forces in Afghanistan. The good news: Not one coalition member died in the attacks, a fact credited to increased training and awareness of how to deal with potential bombers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Very Challenging Year’ for Afghanistan

Staff / Truthdig Jan 31, 2010 According to NATO's newly appointed chief civilian representative, 2010 in Afghanistan will see more violence and casualties, but will also mark a turning point in the fight against the Taliban. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Troop Fatalities Double in Afghanistan

Staff / Truthdig Dec 27, 2009 A US soldier killed in Afghanistan on Sunday raised the American death toll in 2009 to exactly twice the number of those soldiers killed there in that country in 2008 After eight years in Afghanistan, 940 U -- and 613 coalition -- soldiers have died. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bring Them Home, Mr. President

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Nov 13, 2009 It is wrong to sacrifice troops without military goals that are clear, achievable and worthwhile. And what goals in Afghanistan remotely satisfy those criteria? Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

In a Hole

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Nov 13, 2009 Dig deeper

Save the Wails

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Oct 29, 2009 Dig deeper

Pelosi Sees Little Support for Troop Deployments

Staff / Truthdig Sep 11, 2009 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has thrown a high-level wrench into President Obama's plans to send more U troops to Afghanistan Pelosi said Thursday that she sees little support in Congress for new deployments, an observation that comes at a time of rising casualties and strife in Afghanistan. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Afghan Civilian Toll Rises

Staff / Truthdig Jul 31, 2009 As President Obama continues to push more U.S. troops into Afghanistan, the U.N. is reporting that civilian casualties in the war-torn country have spiked, increasing almost 25 percent above 2008 figures. In the first six months of this year, 1,013 civilians were killed. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Arlington

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Jun 26, 2009 Dig deeper

Violence Up — Way Up — in Afghanistan

Staff / Truthdig Jun 13, 2009 Gen. David Petraeus announced Thursday that violence in Afghanistan has spiked 59 percent in recent months, hitting its highest level since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. American troops in the country now number 56,000 and will increase to 68,000 in the second half of this year. Petraeus said a coming increase in U.S. military activity signals that the trend of rising violence and casualties will continue. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )