(CNN) Iraq reality check: The cost in lives lost

[Rhiannon12866]

POSTED: 1:37 p.m. EDT, October 17, 2006

(CNN) -- Early in the Iraq conflict, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismissed insurgents as "dead-enders." In 2004, President Bush said the battle against these fighters was "turning a corner." In 2005, he described a "turning point," and Vice President Dick Cheney said the insurgency was in its "last throes."

Now, those descriptions lie buried beneath thousands of bodies -- U.S. troops, Iraqi police, and everyday citizens tortured and killed simply because of their religious sect.

The U.S. death toll is well above 2,700, and the coalition death toll just passed 3,000. Last month 776 U.S. troops were wounded -- the highest number in nearly two years. There is no sign the insurgency is waning, and no evidence to suggest it will any time soon.

"In September, we did see a rise in sensational attacks," Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said October 4. "Last week we also saw the highest number of vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices this year that were both found and cleared, and those that were detonated. The number of IEDs, or improvised explosive devices, is also at an all-time high."

A report published last week in the British medical journal The Lancet suggested the Iraqi death toll due to the war could be in the hundreds of thousands. The White House disputed that figure but provided no figure of its own.

http://www.cnn.com:80/2006/WORLD/meast/10/17/iraq.reality.check.1/index.html

[Cooley Hurd]

1. The problem that many (sheeple) have is that, to them...

...it's only a number. The news media refuses to show the pictures of "the human cost."

K&R - the tragedy of this war is not yet fully realized.:(

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Yup. And that's also what Bill Maher said.

The numbers that are reported just become background noise. More Iraqis tortured and executed, more of our brave men and women shot, bombed and blown up. But they just report the numbers, blah, blah, blah... But these are individuals, with lives, families and friends and personal stories. And each one should count for more than just a number...;(

[grytpype]

3. And this morning that f*cking moron Tom Friedman...

... is saying that the surge in violence is intended to influence the midterms by making Bush look bad so the Dems win.

That guy is about as dumb as a two bags of sh*t.

[Cooley Hurd]

4. Kick for the morning crowd!

:kick:

Great post, Rhiannon!:thumbsup:

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Thank you, my friend, and I agree that this is an important

and must-read article.:-)

Rhiannon:hi:

[pecwae]

5. One who refused to go back

On Thursday, Sgt. Ricky Clousing plead guilty to absent without leave and will serve three months in confinement. At his sentencing hearing, Sgt. Clousing continued to raise his concerns about the abuses of power that go without accountability and the everyday devastation of the occupation of Iraq. For the time being, Ricky is being held at Camp LeJuene in North Carolina. It's critical over the coming week that Ricky receive letters, postcards, and other words of encouragement from friends, family and other supporters. This will both keep his spirits up, and put the brig staff on notice that Ricky is not alone.

Support Sgt. Clousing in the brig Write a letter today and tell him he's not alone! Please send only letters or postcards. If you do want to send Ricky reading material, it must come from a bookstore or publisher preferably new and shrink-wrapped. Food and other personal items won't make it to Ricky. Also, assume that all letters to Ricky will be screened so please use the appropriate discretion.


I have his address if anyone is interested in letting him know he has public support.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. If you haven't made a separate post of this, you should.

It'll get more attention this way. Best of luck to your courageous friend...:patriot:

Rhiannon

[pecwae]

8. I did, twice in GD

Plus, magellan did a separate post with the same info (she has his address if anyone would like it). Between us we got less than a handful of DU'ers to ask for his info although her post at least got to Greatest.:shrug:

I wish I could call Sgt Clousing my friend, but I don't know him personally. I've been following his story since I served at Bragg, live in NC and feel he's doing an absolutely patriotic thing. You're spot on about him being courageous! My card to him went out yesterday. Thanks, Rhiannon, for the suggestion.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. I'm sorry that your posts didn't generate more responses.

This makes no sense, given attitudes about the war here, and support for our troops, but you never know about things on DU. The threads I've had make it to The Greatest Page were ones I haven't given much thought to, were things on the news that caused me to just dash something off, like the guy who swore on-camera at Cheney and Jack Cafferty's response...:shrug:

PM me with the info. I'll be glad to send a card to this brave guy and will pass the info on to like-minded friends... He needs to realize that he's not alone in this.:-)

Rhiannon:hi: