The average monthly casualty rate for U.S. military forces serving in Afghanistan has sharply risen under Barack Obama,
cnsnews.com reports.
Under Obama's presidency through today, US troops have been present 29.1 months, with 970 casualties — a rate of 33.3 deaths per month. Under Bush, troops were present for 87.4 months with 570 casualties, or 6.5 deaths per month.
In all, 1,540 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan since Oct. 7,2001, when forces began military action in the country.
The cnsnews.com report continues:
"Of the 1,540 U.S. casualties in Afghanistan, according to CNSNews.com’s database of all casualties in the war, 1,340 have resulted from enemy action and the other 200 have resulted from non-combat accidents, illnesses and other non-combat causes.
"The 970 U.S. casualties that have occurred while President Obama has been commander in chief equal 63 percent--or almost two-thirds—of all U.S. casualties that have taken place in the nearly-ten-year-long war.
"889 of the 970 U.S. casualties in Afghanistan that have occurred during the Obama presidency—or about 92 percent—have been combat-related casualties.
"During Obama’s presidency, U.S. troops have given their lives in the service of their country in Afghanistan at an average rate of more than one per day."
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