A Deadly Month for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. July 20, 2009 KABUL, Afghanistan — Four American soldiers were killed by a roadside explosion in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, making July the deadliest month for American service members in the country since the 2001 invasion and underscoring the frightening rise in the sophistication and accuracy of roadside bombs. With the four newest fatalities, at least 30 Americans have died in the first three weeks of July, surpassing the highest previous monthly toll, 28, reached in June 2008. Part of the reason for July’s sharply higher fatalities —...