US military deaths in Iraq drop as Iraqis targeted

[ECH1969]

U.S. military deaths declined in the Iraq war for a fifth straight month in March even as insurgent attacks continue unabated with Iraqis increasingly the targets. U.S. military death toll has steadily dropped since reaching 96 last October, the fourth deadliest month of the war.

There were at least 29 U.S. military deaths in March, according to a count of fatalities announced by the military. That would represent the smallest monthly death toll since 20 in February 2004, the lowest of the three-year war.

U.S. officers in Iraq said several factors have contributed to the decline, including that insurgents are now directing their attacks toward civilians and U.S.-trained Iraqi government security forces who are assuming more security responsibilities previously handled by U.S. and allied forces.

Defense analysts said the recent decline in U.S. deaths is not evidence of an overall improving security environment.

http://www.localnewsleader.com/olberlin/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=168750

[laruemtt]

1. thank god -

as long as it's not americans dying :sarcasm:

[VegasWolf]

2. The repukes are right, there is good news to report.

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[snowbear]

3. The death toll dropped THIS MONTH -- but "5 straight months" is bunk !!

http://icasualties.org/oif/

Period US UK Other* Total Avg Days
3-2006 29 0 2 31 1 31
2-2006 55 3 0 58 2.07 28
1-2006 62 2 0 64 2.06 31
12-2005 68 0 0 68 2.19 31
11-2005 84 1 1 86 2.87 30


Whoever wrote that didn't look at the numbers for the past five months vs. some of the previous months.

There is no way it has dropped for the past 5 five months straight.

[karlrschneider]

6. Uh, except for the .01 per day increase in Feb over Jan, it actually

has dropped for 5 months...which is good; I wish it would be (and had been) zero for three years.

[snowbear]

10. I suppose it's all in how you decipher the wording..

For example, exactly one year ago, 39 coalition troops were killed. FIVE months ago, 86 coalition troops were killed.

Whatever the case --- it still SUCKS and hopefully we can agree on that.

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. That's the rate, not the toll

Yes, I know, months have different numbers of days, but strictly speaking, if raw months are the unit, then it is accurate.

[xdeathstarx]

7. March was the lowest since February of last year.

[ForPeace]

9. Looks like 5 straight months to me

US casualties in Oct 2005 were 96 - so 96, 84, 68, 62, 55, 29 in last 6 months. Lower each month for last five months.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. The numbers you post say just that

84 - 68 - 62 - 55 - 29

Explain how that is NOT a drop each month for 5 straight months, please?

[ForPeace]

13. Well actually that's a drop for 4 straight months

You have to include October to get 5 months.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. OK

96 - 84 - 68 - 62 - 55 - 29

Happy? ;-)

[ForPeace]

15. Yes, thanks!

Now it looks like my post above :-)

Still tragic, though, however you look at it.

"More than 200 other foreign troops have been killed in the war, along with an estimated tens of thousands of Iraqis."

[pocket]

4. so it's not real people dying anymore?

.

[snowbear]

5. The article says "5 straight months" - look at the website

http://icasualties.org/oif/

The info he's reporting is inaccurate. The death toll was definitely much lower this month than in prior months, but it hasn't been a consistently LOWER number for 5 continual months by any means.

He should have just left it with "March 2006 had the lowest number of fatalities since....." (etc.)

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Two cheers for changed targets?

Only the most craven bigots would express any joy that the demographic inflection of the carnage has shifted. Needless to say, it has also shifted while increasing.

[tabasco]

16. Military operations have changed.

Despite the occasional "offensive" staged for the propaganda cameras, US forces have hunkered down to guard oil facilities.

US forces started abandoning security missions in urban areas about a year ago. The Iraqi cities can sink into chaos, but the oil facilities will be secure.

The invasion was not about the safety or welfare of the Iraqi people. The invasion was about oil.

[rocktivity]

17. That doesn't mean we're winning

Unless the numbers can be compared to the number of dead coalition troops, dead Iraqi troops, and dead Iraqi civilians, it really doesn't mean that much.

:headbang:
rocknation