WASHINGTON - July 22 - "I am sad that this has been the deadliest month for our service members in Afghanistan since the war began nearly eight years ago. I continue to be concerned that the troop increase in Afghanistan will lead to more grim milestones like this one and will not have a lasting impact on our ability to deny al Qaeda a safe haven in that region. Indeed, I am concerned that the so-called surge may actually make matters worse by pushing militants into Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation which is still not effectively dealing with terrorist sanctuaries in that country."

Senator Feingold is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Intelligence Committee.