We are currently undermanned for the task. Since many NATO members are not sharing the load, we will need to pull troops from Iraq. Pakistan has no control of the lawless border regions from which these insurgents pass. We need to take out the insurgent strongholds and training bases within Pakistan

Mark, Huntington Beach, USA

Religion wars; Millions may die before this ends; IDF and US.Forces focus on Iran now; This saga appears never stop. Blood of countless on the hands who wage war a pool of blood that lays upon the heart of humanity, a single drum beat getting loader each passing minute. Our extinction, a choice.

Shawn-Earnest, Madawaska, USA

You only care about how many US soldiers died during your invasion to other countries, but do you guys really even think about how many innocent people, who are suppose to have the same right as yours, died? Shame on you, the americans, you are selfish and only care about the profit of yourselves.

Tanaka, Sapporo, Japan

Most people don't understand that the will to fight is paramount. The Taliban and its supporters fight for homeland & way of life. They live war while we fight to keep peace & look forward to going home. It costs them little; they've little to start with. We pay millions daily. It's bad going worse.

John, Orange, USA

The charity of the West is to lift these people from the middle ages. Its in our interest because ignorence breeds fanaticism. Irony is it will be Westerners that ensure Afgans can study the whole Koran, not just the portions required to justify the murder of innocents.

Matt D, San Jose, CA, US

400 Taliban guerrillas concentrate to attack an outpost. Their accomplishment is "nine deaths ... 15 US soldiers and four Afghan soldiers ... injured" while suffering very heavy casualties (probably about 1/2 their force). A few more "victories" like that and the Taliban will cease to exist.

Sam, Riverton, UT, USA

In response to 3000 innocent killings in US, USA have killed thousand of people in afghanistan. US attacked on Iraq because he claimed that Iraq had weapon of mass distruction....Can anyone tell me where are those weapons? The more they kill innocent people the more resistance will come...

abdullah, Dubai, UAE

Had the American administration studied Afgan history a little more assiduously, it could have saved it's self a lot of trouble. this coupled with their domestic economic problems,leads one to reflect that they are the architects of their own misfortune.

Eddy, Bury St.Edmunds,

"One battle is not the time to criticize, the Taliban are suffering huge losses that they can not sustain".

I am reminded of Eric Frank Russell's immortal government communique: "For months we have been making triumphant retreats before a demoralised enemy who is advancing in utter disorder".

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

Its NOT a KIA numbers game. The cost of each of those soldiers in crass monetary terms (training, equipment etc) is probably millions, the cost of the Taliban was hundreds.

This is a war to bleed us monetarily, as it was before, when the Russians also thought Afghans couldnt sustain such losses

Matt, Birmingham, UK

Lets face it. Afganistan and Iraq are lost wars. These countries have been invaded for the wrong reasons. Next stop is Iran. we might be more successful there.

Michael, Birmingham, uk

I wouldn't be too worried about this small attack. The IASF have been doing this to the Taliban since their fall from power in 2001. They are taking huge losses they cannot possibly sustain. In iraq insurgents numbers have dropped from 120 a week to a bare 20. The same will happen in Afghanistan.

Robin, Coleraine, UK

My heart goes out to these brave soldiers and to their families. The only piece I can take heart from in this article is that the Taleban suffered very heavy losses...though they aren't worth one allied soldiers death.

kirk, Rotherham, UK

Time for the US to impose harsh sanctions on the Pakistani government ,"Hot Pursuit operations" need to be carried out by the USAF using surveillance planes that can stay aloft for hours seeking out and destroying their prey. A curfew imposed on the borders to inhibit travel dusk to dawn.

Pancho, Ilkley, England

Whilst the terrian in the end will defeat the colliation, the re-arming of troops personal weapons, downsizing them from 7.62 to 5.5mm had an enormous effect on their abitiy to engage the Taliban at long-range.

Re-arming the colliation would go some way to demoralising the Taliban.

Dennis, Plymouth, UK

I believe the US/UK distant cousins are in for a long stay in Afghanistan fighting an elusive enemy. Is this a 2nd Vietnam in the making?
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Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

This article reminds me of the scene described in The Quiet American where Fowler and Pyle spend a night under attack in an overrun military outpost. It would be a tragedy for this 'insurgency' to go down the same path as Indochina in the 50's and 60's. Does anyone else get nervous when they hear Obama say he's going to correct the mistakes of the current Government? The only thing we learn from history is...

JP, Melbourne, Australia

Well American dont have any values . They bombed a whole wedding party and denied it. very little media attention!!. Imagine if they were american civilians, the whole world would have known their names,hobbies etc Please leave for the sake of peace in the region and american casulities.

DR NIAZ KHAN, Bangor, UK

One battle is not the time to criticize, the Taliban are suffering huge losses that they can not sustain.

cv, brea,

This is another change of taticts by the Taliban. why are we never ready for them until after they change there methods. How many bases have to be attacked before we are ready for them.

Darren smith, Leeds, UK

We have to stay on our side of the Combidian border. The alleged 'Ho Chi Minh trail' may not even exist ,as has been speculated by the media, so we shouldn't break the rules of war we so cleverly make. We should be talking peace and send peace comitte members inlike the Islamabad government did. RIP

J, jared, USA

It's all too easy to blame everything on Karzai. I know the man behaves more or less like a warlord, but people - guess which ones - should have listened more closely to experts who told them from the beginning that it was not possible to conquer Afghanistan.

Hans de Koning, Leiderdorp, Netherlands

Too few troops at out -posts Our troops at many out-posts are not supported. They receive poor rations have no cooking, Toilet faclilities. Work 4hrs on 4 hrs off 7 days a week for 6 months, yet other troops on bases like Kandahr have cafe's , shops etc but get same medal and pay as those fighting

Kerry Brown, Birdip, UK

Could this be the reaction to the faux pax of 6th July in which 52 civilians,reportedly all women and children,were killed in air strikes on suspected terrorists? Is it possible to end violence by raising the level of violence in a situation which resembles insurgency?

Afzal A. Neseem, Lincoln Nebraska, U.S.A.

The Americans can't control the wars in Iraq and Afganistan and they want start a third one in Iran

damon, essex, uk