WASHINGTON -- U.S. military losses in Iraq and Afghanistan are expected in coming weeks to surpass the death toll of 2,973 victims killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The two conflicts, which have lasted longer than most U.S. wars, have now claimed the lives of at least 2,941 troops, a toll that changes daily.
Next month, the duration of combat operations in Iraq will exceed the length of time that U.S. forces fought in Europe during World War II. Operations in Afghanistan have lasted longer than the Civil War and World War II -- with only the Revolutionary War and the Vietnam War lasting longer.
Experts on wartime public opinion say the mounting casualty toll and the duration of the conflicts may play a role in determining whether voters turn against President George W. Bush and his Republican allies in Congress in the Nov. 7 midterm congressional elections.
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