2007 is deadliest year in Iraq for U.S. military

2007 is deadliest year in Iraq for U.S. military
By Damien Cave
Published: November 6, 2007

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Five of the American soldiers killed on Monday died in two roadside bomb attacks near Kirkuk, Smith said.

A sixth soldier died Monday during combat operations in Anbar Province, according to a military statement.

The deaths came only a few days after the military announced a steep drop in the rate of American deaths this year. In October, 38 American service members died in Iraq, the third-lowest monthly tally since 2003, according to Iraq Casualty Count, a Web site that tracks military deaths. The November total, if the current pace continues, would be higher but still far below the war's average of 69 American military deaths per month.

Despite the decline, American commanders acknowledged that 2007 would be far deadlier than the second worst year, 2004, when 849 Americans died, many of them in major battles for control of insurgent strongholds like Falluja.

Military officials attribute the rise this year to an expanded troop presence during the so-called surge, which brought more than 165,000 troops to Iraq, and sent units out of large bases and into more dangerous communities.

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