The Human Cost Of War: Examining American Casualties In Afghanistan And Iraq

The United States military has seen thousands of casualties in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. As of October 2021, the US had lost a total of 7,054 soldiers in both countries, with California suffering the highest number of casualties at 759. The number of US troops who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan surpassed 7,000 at the end of 2019. The US Department of Defense lists 2,459 service members as having died in Afghanistan, with 1,922 of these deaths resulting from hostile action. The war in Afghanistan also saw 18 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives lose their lives, along with 1,822 civilian contractors. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars have also resulted in a high number of suicides among US service members and veterans, with over 30,177 taking their own lives—more than four times the number of combat deaths.

US military fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan by state as of October 2021

As of October 2021, the United States had lost a total of 7,054 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, with California suffering the highest number of fatalities at 759. Unfortunately, I am unable to break down the number of US military fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan by state as of October 2021. However, I can provide some additional information on US military fatalities in these conflicts.

The US military fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan include both hostile and non-hostile deaths. The causes of death vary and include rocket-propelled grenade fire, improvised explosive devices, vehicle crashes, electrocutions, heatstroke, friendly fire, and suicides. The Pentagon's official numbers do not include suicides, and many troops returning home have taken their own lives due to psychological wounds such as PTSD. Over 30,177 service members and veterans of the post-9/11 wars have died by suicide, a number more than four times higher than those killed in combat.

The war in Afghanistan, which lasted from October 2001 to August 2021, resulted in 2,459 US military deaths, with 1,922 attributed to hostile action and the remaining 534 classified as non-hostile or pending status. Additionally, 18 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives died in Afghanistan, and there were 1,822 civilian contractor fatalities. The highest number of American fatalities in a single incident in Afghanistan occurred on August 6, 2011, when a transport helicopter was shot down, killing 30 Americans, including 22 Navy SEALs.

In Iraq, the number of US military fatalities is higher, with 4,550 deaths reported. The total number of US military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan combined is approximately 6,951.

US service members who died by suicide

The number of US service members who died by suicide in the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is alarmingly high. Official Pentagon figures state that over 30,177 service members and veterans of these wars have died by suicide, which is over four times the number of those who died in combat. This highlights a mental health crisis among military personnel and veterans.

The Pentagon's numbers do not include troops who returned home and later died by suicide due to psychological wounds such as PTSD. The US military suicide rate has climbed significantly since 2004, and the true number of suicides may be even higher than reported.

The high suicide rate among US service members and veterans has prompted calls for improved mental health services and support. The Pentagon and the VA have been urged to expand their tracking and response to war-related post-deployment deaths, injuries, and illnesses, including suicides, regardless of whether individuals receive VA treatment.

The impact of suicides extends beyond the individuals to their families and communities. The loss of life has affected a wide network of parents, spouses, children, siblings, and friends.

The US military recruits heavily from low-income and minority communities, and certain states and towns have borne a disproportionate share of the human cost of the wars. This reflects a broader pattern of inequality in military service.

In addition to service members, thousands of private contractors have died in Iraq and Afghanistan while supporting US troops. The US government's reporting on contractor deaths has been criticized as inadequate, and foreign workers for US firms are particularly vulnerable to underreporting.

The true toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is complex and far-reaching, and the human cost is still being calculated and understood.

Contractor deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan

The privatization of modern U.S. warfare has led to a growing number of contractor deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. These contractors work in areas such as translation, transportation, and IT, as well as providing fuel, food, and protective services to U.S. outposts. While the Pentagon does not keep an official count, various sources estimate that over 8,000 contractors have died in these war zones since the beginning of the wars in 2001 and 2003, with some placing the number at around 3,814.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that by the end of March 2009, 917 civilian contractors had been killed in Iraq, with an estimated 354 being U.S. citizens. This number was updated to 1,537 by the end of March 2011 and further to 1,569 by July 20, 2012. As of June 23, 2011, 749 foreign private contractor deaths in Iraq as part of the Iraq War had been recorded, with Americans accounting for 355 of those deaths.

In Afghanistan, the situation is similar. While the Pentagon does not provide official numbers, it is estimated that more contractors have died than U.S. troops. The Department of Labor's report indicates that 1,774 civilian contractors have died in Afghanistan since the start of the war, but this number is not considered complete.

The high number of contractor deaths can be partly attributed to the risks inherent in their work, which often includes dangerous tasks previously performed by soldiers. Additionally, companies employing such workers have been criticized for failing to report deaths and injuries to the Labor Department as required by law, leading to an underreporting of the true extent of contractor casualties.

The privatization of warfare and the increasing reliance on contractors have shifted the risks of war to the private sector. This has resulted in a growing proportion of contractor deaths, with contractors now making up more than 25% of total deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. The rising fatalities among contractors have received relatively less public attention compared to troop deaths, highlighting the need for better recognition and treatment of their sacrifices and contributions to the military efforts.

US military wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan

The US military has suffered significant casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, with a high number of deaths and wounded personnel. The number of wounded US military personnel in Iraq is reported as 31,454, while in Afghanistan, 3,372 US service members were wounded. Another source states that 20,769 US service members were wounded in Afghanistan.

The high number of wounded in these conflicts is notable, with a higher ratio of wounded to deaths than in other US wars. For every death in Iraq, there were 7.3 wounded, and for Afghanistan, this figure was 4.5. This is much higher than the median of 2 wounded per death in other principal US wars.

Amputation rates among the wounded are also significant, with 1 in 44 wounded in Iraq and 1 in 41 in Afghanistan requiring amputation. This is the worst record since the Vietnam War, where there was 1 amputation for every 29 wounded.

The total number of US military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan has surpassed 7,000 as of 2019. This number does not include the high number of suicides among veterans, which some sources estimate to be over 30,000. The true number of wounded and dead is likely higher, as these figures do not include private contractors, whose deaths and injuries may not be fully reported.

Civilian casualties in the War in Afghanistan

The War in Afghanistan, which lasted from October 2001 to August 2021, resulted in a significant loss of civilian life. While there is no single official figure for the total number of civilian deaths, various organisations have provided estimates for specific years or periods.

According to the Costs of War Project, the conflict led to the deaths of approximately 46,319 civilians in Afghanistan. However, this figure may not account for all deaths caused indirectly by the war. The Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates a higher death toll of 212,191. The Cost of War project estimated in 2015 that when considering indirect deaths related to the war, the number may be as high as 360,000.

During the initial phase of the war, concerns were raised about the number of Afghan civilians being killed. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) attributed the majority of civilian casualties to the Taliban and other anti-government elements each year, with figures ranging from 61% to 80%. Civilian deaths increased in the latter part of the war, with 2015 and 2016 consecutively breaking records for annual civilian deaths.

Various estimates exist for civilian deaths in specific periods of the war. Professor Marc W. Herold of the University of New Hampshire estimated that between 3,100 and 3,600 civilians were directly killed by US-led forces between October 7, 2001, and June 3, 2003. The Los Angeles Times reported between 1,067 and 1,201 civilian deaths from the US-led bombing campaign in the five months from October 7, 2001, to February 28, 2002. The Guardian suggested that as many as 20,000 Afghans may have died as an indirect result of the initial US airstrikes and ground invasion in 2001.

UNAMA recorded 2,118 civilian deaths in 2008 as a direct result of armed conflict, the highest number since the end of the 2001 invasion. In 2009, UNAMA recorded 2,412 civilian deaths, a 14% increase over the previous year. In 2010, UNAMA and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) recorded 2,777 civilian deaths, with 2,080 attributed to insurgents and anti-government elements, and 440 to US-led military forces.

In more recent years, civilian casualties continued to rise. UNAMA's 2021 midyear update documented 5,183 civilian casualties (1,659 killed and 3,524 injured) in the first half of 2021, a 47% increase compared to the same period in 2020. Of these, 39% were attributed to the Taliban, 8.8% to Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISIL-KP), and 16% to undetermined anti-government elements. Pro-government forces were responsible for 25% of civilian casualties, with 23% attributed to Afghan national security forces.

The war in Afghanistan resulted in a devastating loss of civilian life, with estimates suggesting tens of thousands of deaths and a significant impact on the country.

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