With the deaths of five more soldiers today, 2007 has become the deadliest year yet for U.S. troops in Iraq.

Although the September and October death tolls for U.S. troops were the lowest in more than a year, August’s was higher than July’s and higher than the previous August’s as well. With nearly two full months to go in 2007, the year’s casualty count stands at approximately 852; 850 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq in 2004, until now the deadliest year on record.