The Letter to the Ephesians encourages unity through the bond of peace. But war-torn Afghanistan has a long way to go toward that goal, and the death of four American soldiers Monday made July the deadliest month in the war's history for the U.S. as well as for all international troops.

Meanwhile, a Taliban video aired over the internet showcased a U.S. soldier being held hostage. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday voiced concern and outrage over the hostage-taking and said everything possible is being done to free him.

"I mean, it's just outrageous. It's a real sign of desperation and inappropriate criminal behavior on the parts of these terrorist groups," Clinton said. "So we are going to do everything we can to get him."

Also on Monday, a British fighter jet crashed at NATO's largest base in southern Afghanistan. The jet is the fourth aircraft to crash in Afghanistan in three days and the sixth this month. Lt. Cmdr. Christine Sidenstricker, a U.S. military spokeswoman in Kabul, said she had not heard anything to suggest a common thread tying the crashes together.

"I don't think they're related," she said. "There really hasn't been a lot of similarity between the events except they all happen to be aircraft. In most cases it has not been the result of enemy activity; it has been mechanical problems or other issues."

Last year there were only about 30,000 U.S. troops in the country at this time. Today there is double that number, and many more U.S. aircraft. An additional 11,000 U.S. forces are due in Afghanistan by the end of the year as part of 21,000 fresh troop reinforcements President Barack Obama has dispatched to the country.

Source: Articles by Jason Straziuso for Associated Press and by Agence France Presse