KEY POINTS:
US military deaths in Iraq last year plunged by two-thirds from the previous year, but in Afghanistan they rose by 35 per cent. AP reckoned at least 314 US soldiers died in Iraq, down from 904 in 2007. At least 7496 Iraqis died, down 60 per cent from 2007. In Afghanistan, 151 US soldiers died, compared with 111 in 2007, and 1160 civilians were killed, up from 875.