U.S. soldier dies in southern Afghan fight

[Rose Siding]

KABUL, Afghanistan --One U.S. service member and at least 16 suspected Taliban rebels were killed in fighting in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Afghan and American forces came under attack during a patrol Monday in southern Zabul province's Day Chopan district, triggering a fire fight, the military said in a statement. U.S. and coalition aircraft provided air support during the clash.

"We are greatly saddened by the loss of one of our own but are able to take solace in the fact that we are ridding this area of an oppressive and violent enemy," the statement quoted U.S. Brig. Gen. James G. Champion as saying.
....
The American casualty follows the deaths of three U.S. service members in eastern Afghanistan last Thursday. Two drowned when their Humvee vehicle slid into a swollen river during a military operation east of the city of Jalalabad; the third was killed by a roadside bomb that exploded near a U.S. military vehicle in the eastern province of Paktika, near the Pakistan border.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/08/09/us_soldier_dies_in_southern_afghan_fight/

[rodeodance]

1. that makes 4 in less than a week in Afgan.

[daleo]

2. Wait until the BFEE adds Iran to the mix

Then there can be hundreds dead per week - maybe thousands. It's all madness.

[uppityperson]

3. 218, notice anything from these figures of annual USA military deaths?

http://icasualties.org/oef/
2005 64
2004 52
2003 47
2002 43
2001 12

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. They are very quick to point out the very improbable 16/1 kill

ratio. I have a lot of doubts about a figure like that.