In Afghanistan fifteen 15 U.S. military deaths were reported for October. The monthly toll in that combat theater had been in the 20s since June, when 28 Americans were killed-—the worst one-month total since that war began in late 2001.
The sharp drop in American fatalities, and Iraqi too, in Iraq reflects the overall security improvements across the country following the Sunni revolt against al-Qaida and the rout suffered by Shiite extremists in fighting last spring in Basra and Baghdad. U.S. military commanders repeatedly warn are fragile and reversible.