KABUL — August has become the deadliest month yet for U.S. forces in the nearly 10-year-old war in Afghanistan.
The 66 U.S. service members killed this month eclipses the previous record of 65 killed in July 2010, according to an Associated Press tally. Nearly half the August deaths occurred when insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter Aug. 6, killing 30 American troops, mostly Navy SEALs.
Violence is being reported across Afghanistan despite the U.S.-led coalition’s drive to rout insurgents from their strongholds in the south.
Though American military officials predicted high casualties this summer as the Taliban try to come back after recent offensives, the grim milestone is likely to increase pressure on the Obama administration from some quarters to withdraw U.S. forces quickly.
In a speech Tuesday in Minnesota, President Barack Obama honored all the troops who have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“As our mission transitions from combat to support, Afghans will take responsibility for their own security and the longest war in American history will come to a responsible end,” Obama said at the American Legion’s national convention in Minneapolis. “For our troops and military families who have sacrificed so much, this means relief from an unrelenting decade of operations.”
Obama vowed he would not allow cuts in programs for veterans as Congress and the administration look for ways to balance the budget.
“It’s time to focus on nation-building here at home,” Obama told 6,000 members of the country’s largest veterans group, who clapped politely.
Obama singled out the ” 9/11 generation veterans,” who, he said, “have the skills and dedication to help lead the way.” He praised “all who have worn the uniform in these wars” and said it was time, now, for the government to help these veterans find a place at home.
“Far too many of our veterans are unemployed,” the president said.
He said he had directed the federal government to hire 100,000 more veterans. But at a time of restricted budgets, overall government employment is constrained.
“As a nation, we’re facing some tough choices as we put our fiscal house in order, but I want to be clear,” he said. “As a nation, we cannot, we must not and we will not balance the budget on the backs of veterans.”
Jobs planObama eyes private-sector incentives to expand payrolls.
The New York Times contributed to this report.
