News Round-Up: GI Captured by Taliban Turns Up on Videotape; Will Rising Death Tolls in Afghanistan Prompt the US & Britain to Send in More Troops?

by Bartleby the Scrivener |  According to The New York Times, the American soldier who disappeared at the end of June from Afghanistan -- and who was later confirmed captured -- has turned up in a videotape made by the Taliban.  Defense officials have confirmed his identity. (NYT)

The article says that the videotape is not "continuous."  Here is what the soldier says, or appears to say:

The soldier says the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol.

Interviewed in English by his captors, he is asked about his views on the war, which he calls extremely hard; his desire to learn more about Islam; and the morale of American soldiers, which he says is low.

Asked how he is doing, the soldier says: “Well, I’m scared, scared I won’t be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner.”....

“I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America,” he says. “And I miss them every day when I’m gone.”

Prompted by his interrogators to give a message to the American people, he says in part: “Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here, wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country.” (NYT)

In other news, a US jet has crashed in Afghanistan, killing the two crew members.  (MSNBC)  And in southern Afghanistan, roadside bombs killed  five children and other members of their extended family as they were on their way to Friday prayer services.  (MSNBC)  The police blamed the Taliban. (MSNBC)  Elsewhere in Afghanistan a British soldier became the 48th NATO solider to be killed in Afghanistan in July -- which has been the worst month since 2001 for the international forces. (MSNBC) 

[T]he rising casualty tolls have prompted U.S. and British officials to consider whether to send more troops to Afghanistan to bolster security, especially around the Aug. 20 presidential election. Britain has about 9,000 troops in Afghanistan, including 700 sent this year to augment security for the election.

The chief of the British army, Gen. Richard Dannatt, said there was a case to be made for "a short-term uplift" in troop numbers until Afghan forces are properly trained and deployed — which he said could take another 12 to 18 months....

On Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. could send more troops to Afghanistan this year than had been initially planned, although any increase would not be significant. The Obama administration had wanted to wait until the end of the year to decide whether to send more troops.(MSNBC)

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