The Battle for Afghanistan: U.S. mapping new strategy in response to dire assessments of war

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The Battle for Afghanistan: U.S. mapping new strategy in response to dire assessments of war
By Michael Gisick and Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, October 26, 2008

(First in a two-part series)

BAGRAM, Afghanistan — Every week, it seems, brings a dire new assessment of the war in Afghanistan.

The most recent, a draft National Intelligence Estimate leaked to the press this month, warns of rapidly deteriorating conditions, with widespread corruption in the Afghan government undermining efforts to beat back a growing insurgency.

Violence has risen across Afghanistan, fueled by the drug trade and the flow of guns, money and fighters from sanctuaries in Pakistan. With three months remaining in 2008, U.S. and NATO casualties had already exceeded those of any other year since the 2001 invasion. There are currently about 70,000 coalition troops in Afghanistan, including 33,000 Americans.

Civilian deaths are also up. The United Nations reported last month that nearly 40 percent more people in Afghanistan died during the first eight months of 2008 compared with the same period last year. More than half of those deaths were attributed to the Taliban and other insurgent violence. But deaths caused by coalition airstrikes are also rising.

According to the Pentagon, more than 6,500 people died in Afghanistan because of the war last year.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58400