US Troop Deaths at New Low

Extra thousands swell US numbers in Afghanistan

(NEWSER) - When does 21,000 equal 34,000? When the Pentagon is counting. The 21,000 additional troops President Obama approved for Afghanistan earlier this year have been accompanied by 13,000 extra support troops, bringing the total number in Afghanistan to nearly 68,000. Pentagon and White House officials have made little mention of the extra manpower, which includes engineers, medical personnel, and intelligence experts. More»

(NEWSER) - A House member is incensed that a Pentagon official, reporting a 25% increase in combat-zone sexual assault against women, said servicemen should “wait until she's sober,” the New York Daily News reports. “This woman is not in the right line of work,” Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, says of Dr. Kaye Whitley. Whitley said the remark was inspired by a recruiting poster entitled “My Strength is for Defending.” More»

Pentagon says Army is overstretched

(NEWSER) - The US Army wants you, and about 30,000 of your friends, if it's going to fight effectively in Afghanistan and Iraq and complete other missions around the world, reports the Washington Post. Increased demands are being made on troops in places like Africa, Korea, and cyberspace, and while the down economy is boosting recruiting efforts, officials say current growth plans are insufficient. More»

Survey finds steep rise in mental problems among soldiers on third, fourth tours

(NEWSER) - Cutting the time soldiers have between tours of duty helped the Pentagon boost troop numbers in Iraq—but has taken a heavy toll on soldiers' mental health, Reuters reports. An Army survey found a steep rise in mental health problems among soldiers returning for their third or fourth combat tour, and experts say the troops are not getting enough time to recover . "Soldiers are not resetting entirely before they get back into theater," said the head of the Army's mental health advisory team. More»

But Baghdad vetoed plan for the ballots earlier this week

(NEWSER) - US troop cuts in Iraq will stall after July to ensure security for local elections, a Washington official said yesterday. "You can actually increase your own risk if you pull out too many simultaneously," the official said. "This is not a stall tactic." But Baghdad officials nixed plans for the summer ballots this week, highlighting tensions between Baghdad and provincial governments. More»