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Monthly Troop Deaths May Be Lowest In 2 Years

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The Associated Press

Published: October 31, 2007

BAGHDAD - The monthly toll of U.S. service members who have died in Iraq is on track to be the lowest in nearly two years, with at least 36 troop deaths recorded as of Tuesday, but the military cautioned it's too early to declare a long-term trend.

At least 36 American service members have died so far in October, nearly a quarter from noncombat causes. Among them were three soldiers killed Tuesday when a bomb exploded as they patrolled southeast Baghdad, the military said.

It is the lowest number since 32 troops died in March 2006 and the second-lowest since 20 troop deaths in February 2004, according to an Associated Press count based on military figures.

That would be the second consecutive drop in monthly figures, after 65 Americans died in September and 84 in August.

In all, at least 3,842 members of the U.S. military have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to the AP count.

Maj. Winfield Danielson, a military spokesman in Baghdad, pointed to a number of likely reasons for the decline, including a U.S. security push that has driven militants out of former safe havens and a change in strategy that has placed troops closer to the population. That, in turn, has caused a rise in the number of tips from residents about roadside bombs and other dangers.

He also singled out the cease-fire call by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who in August ordered his fighters to cease attacks against U.S.-led forces and other Iraqis for up to six months. Danielson said Iraqi forces also were increasingly taking charge of security operations.

He welcomed the lower numbers, but stressed it was too early to say it was a downward trend.

'Have we turned a corner? It might be a little too early to say that,' he said. 'It's certainly encouraging.'

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