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1,000 American Deaths In Afghanistan: A Sad Milestone

First Posted: 05-18-10 01:04 PM   |   Updated: 05-18-10 01:41 PM

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Us Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

A suicide bomb attack in Kabul overnight claimed the lives of 18 people, including five U.S. servicemen. This attack pushed the war effort in Afghanistan past one of those grim milestones. Per today's New York Times:

On Tuesday, the toll of American dead in Afghanistan passed 1,000, after a suicide bomb in Kabul killed at least five United States service members. Having taken nearly seven years to reach the first 500 dead, the war killed the second 500 in fewer than two. A resurgent Taliban active in almost every province, a weak central government incapable of protecting its people and a larger number of American troops in harms way all contributed to the accelerating pace of death.

This grim occasion -- and the Times noting of the acceleration in U.S. deaths -- reminds me that I'm often left with the impression that most observers regard counterinsurgency as a "soft" form of military engagement, more public relations than warmaking. This isn't the case. The strategy actually demands that countersurgent forces accept greater risks. Here's the relevant material from the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual.

The More You Protect Your Force, The Less Secure You Are

1-124. Ultimate success in COIN is gained by protecting the populace, not the COIN force. If military forces stay locked up in compounds, they lose touch with the people, appear to be running scared, and cede the initiative to the insurgents. Patrols must be conducted, risk must be shared, and contact maintained. This ensures access to the intelligence needed to drive operations and reinforces the connections with the people that establish real legitimacy.

The More Force Used, the Less Effective It Is

1-125. Any use of force produces many effects, not all of which can be foreseen. The more force applied, the greater the chance of collateral damage and mistakes. It also increases the opportunity for insurgent propaganda to portray lethal military activities as brutal. The precise and discriminate use of force also strengthens the rule of law that needs to be established.

The More Successful COIN is, the Less Force That Can be Used and the More Risk That Must be Accepted

1-126. This is really a corollary to the previous paradox. As the level of insurgent violence drops, the requirements of international law and the expectations of the populace allow less use of military actions by the counterinsurgent. More reliance is placed on police work. Rules of engagement get stricter, and troops have to exercise increased restraint. Soldiers and Marines may also have to accept more risk to maintain involvement with the people.

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Just something to keep in mind.

UPDATE: The folks at BraveNewFilms pass along this video:

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On Tuesday, the toll of American dead in Afghanistan passed 1,000, after a suicide bomb in Kabul killed at least five United States service members. Having taken nearly seven years to reach the first ...
On Tuesday, the toll of American dead in Afghanistan passed 1,000, after a suicide bomb in Kabul killed at least five United States service members. Having taken nearly seven years to reach the first ...
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Mr Happyface   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
WASHINGTON - May 17 - In 109 congressional districts all over the country, people will be protesting on Wednesday at their local congress members' offices, urging them to commit to voting against $33.5 billion for escalating the war in Afghanistan, and to do so even if lots of other items are included in the bill.

Currently an additional $30 billion is included to cover foreign aid, compensation for discrimination claims, and disaster relief.

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/05/17-3
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elkabong   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
Isn't it strange that the very same Republians/teabaggers who were screaming at us "libs" for opposing these wars and telling us how essential they were for our security, so easily dump them in president Obama's lap like they're a bad thing?

Who listens to these cretins besides the other cretins?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER

Smithn   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
Blowin' in the Wind
---------- Dylan--1962 48 YEARS AGO


How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
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poco767a   1 minute ago (2:41 PM)
Now I am not a military tactician, but it seems to me that it is very difficult for US service men and women to d!e in Afghanistan if they are in America.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER

maybealittlecommonsense   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
3000 non military citizens died here when we weren't there in one day.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR

mrsmdressup   2 minutes ago (2:41 PM)
REPOST
This is how Canada repatriates fallen soldiers.
If we all did this, maybe the real cost of this war will hit home and we can end this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3IutxvltBM
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EastTraveler   2 minutes ago (2:41 PM)
I think that all Americans and Allieds alike are looking for a solution to this cluster**** and hopefully the end will be in store soon. I do not think that the American public will take many more years of this before the backlash seriously happens. The yearly grind is unacceptable...

HUFFPOST SUPER USER

WeNeedPalin   1 minute ago (2:42 PM)
It already started, teaparty.org
ALRIGHTALREADY   2 minutes ago (2:41 PM)
How often has HP or MSNBC reporting the casualties since Jan 2008
Remember how they pressed for the photos of the caskets ?
Remember when Code Pink protested ?
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BillLoney   3 minutes ago (2:40 PM)
When did we last engage a real Al Qaeda member? Not one of the Iraqi knock-off variety, I mean a real Al Qaeda? Anyone?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR

begabug   1 minute ago (2:41 PM)
i think it's when we armed 'em during the soviet occupation.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER

Sock De Jour   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
Heheh
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poco767a   3 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
It seems reducing dirt poor countries to ash and rubble isn't as cathartic to the national psyche as we first thought.
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sarabedlam   2 minutes ago (2:41 PM)
And it worked so well in Vietnam.
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Mr Happyface   3 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
WASHINGTON - May 14 - 27 organizations and coalitions representing over 13 million Americans sent a letter this week to the Senate and House asking for cosponsors to legislation that would require the Obama administration to provide Congress an exit strategy from Afghanistan.

Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced the bipartisan legislation, S. 3197 in the Senate and H.R. 5015, a few weeks ago.

“Americans are increasingly opposing the cost in blood and treasure of the war in Afghanistan.

Like Iraq, it’s time for the Obama administration to provide an exit strategy with an end date for the United States military presence in Afghanistan.

Congress needs to exercise its oversight responsibilities and require a plan and a deadline for troops to come home from Afghanistan.

Peace Action thinks that plan should have troops home as soon as practically possible and resources focused on the political solution and Afghan-led aid and development,” stated Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action’s policy and political director, who organized the letter to Congress.

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/05/14-7
Birch1   3 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
That's a good thing to do with guns. Hey, isn't that jooooish looking fella in the back row laughing?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR

Khirad   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
Translation?
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dabblesome   4 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
RIP
heroes
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CreativeKitty   4 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
The cost of our 2 insane occupations..... Photo Gallery: BEDROOMS Of Young U.S. War Dead : http://nyti.ms/bJjPLL
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DawgBone   1 minute ago (2:41 PM)
Great post. Lives not statistics.

HUFFPOST SUPER USER

shivabeach   4 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
Mr President, the fighting there will end if we bring out troops home.

This has nothing to do with honor or sacrifice. This has to do with life for our troops and for the countrys of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Life always wins over revenge
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Berkeleylefty   0 minute ago (2:42 PM)
The war will come to a quick end when the media stop showing the "sanitized-Hollywood" version and start showing us what really happens... and it is ugly...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER

take10   4 minutes ago (2:39 PM)
For us to sit by and watch our young men and women die for absolutely nothing is being complicit in their deaths. We need to let this administration know that our nation building begins at home. President Karzai has already stated publicly that he may join the Taliban if outside forces continue to be involved in the politics of Afghanistan. We learned nothing from the 12 years Russia was getting their arses whooped by Afghani fighters. With all of our technology and sophisticated weaponry, all we seem to do is k!ll innocent Afghanis with impunity under the guise of collateral damage. That seems to be the new term for evading charges for war crimes against humanity. You don't make friends of people who are suffering the loss of family due to our aggression based on poor intelligence. If Obama loses a second term, I believe this ill advised police action will be high on the reasons list, and rightly so. I would love for him to have a full 8 years. But, I would also love to see our remaining troops brought home while they're able to stand and hug their family members, instead of in body bags...