You surprise me with your argument that the flagging American-led campaign in Afghanistan requires more soldiers on the ground and less bombing leading to mounting civilian casualties (“Fatal Errors in Afghanistan,” June 23, 2007). Whatever happened with your economics? Last April you reported that respectable American economists appraised the life of an American soldier killed in Iraq at six to seven million dollars. The life of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan cannot come much cheaper, while the life of an Afghan civilian cannot be appraised at more than, say, a hundred dollars. In short, I am sure that respectable American economists would advise even fewer soldiers in harm’s way and much more bombing in Afghanistan. Wining the hearts and minds of the Afghan people does not make any economic sense.