{"id":42726,"date":"2019-10-08T18:48:48","date_gmt":"2019-10-08T18:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/10\/08\/the-us-has-ramped-up-its-air-campaign-in-afghanistan-to-highest-level-in-nine-years\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:45:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:45:49","slug":"the-us-has-ramped-up-its-air-campaign-in-afghanistan-to-highest-level-in-nine-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/10\/08\/the-us-has-ramped-up-its-air-campaign-in-afghanistan-to-highest-level-in-nine-years\/","title":{"rendered":"The US has ramped up its air campaign in Afghanistan to highest level in nine years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As peace negotiations between the Taliban and U.S. unraveled, the U.S. dramatically ramped up its air campaign against militants in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to U.S. Air Forces Central Command, U.S. aircraft dropped 948 munitions in Afghanistan during the month of September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the highest number of munitions dropped for a single month since October 2010 \u2014 near the height of America\u2019s involvement in the 18-year long war. In October 2010, according to figures provided by AFCENT, U.S. and coalition aircraft dropped roughly 1,043 munitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. had nearly 100,000 troops on the ground by October 2010, as part of then-President Barrack Obama\u2019s troop surge. Today, there are roughly 14,000 service members operating in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\t