XDA

It was a relatively quiet month. There was hardly any combat involving Americans in Iraq and there was hardly anything but an armed struggle going on in Afghanistan. Still, although each death is a private tragedy for the slain and to his or her family and friends, the totals were very light, for nearly 200,000 American warriors fighting the good fight in foreign lands.

Here are the details. According to releases from the Department of Defense, for the month of November, 10 American warriors were killed in Iraq and 18 were killed in Afghanistan for a total of 28, less than one per day. Here is further breakdown: In Iraq, four died from non combat causes, four were killed in accidents and one was killed by small arms. As I wrote, not a lot of fighting going on there. In Afghanistan, seven were killed by IEDs, five were killed in combat operations, two were killed by a suicide bomber and one each was killed by mortar fire, small arms, an accident and a non combat cause. I guess the Taliban is indeed waiting for the dreaded Spring Offensive, but, back on a serious side, only two of the 18 killed in Afghanistan last month were not killed in some form of combat.

There were no soldiers, et al. with feminine names and only two officers killed, both dead in a single helicopter crash in Iraq. They were CWO Mathew Heffelfinger, 29, of Kimberly, ID and CWO Earl Scott III, 24, of Jacksonville, FL.

Our thoughts and prayers go out for all our men and women at arms fighting the war the Islamic extremists have brought against us. We pray also for their swift and safe rotation home and complete success with their mission.

Labels: Iraq; Afghanistan; American War Dead