NYT: Deaths of U.S. Soldiers Climb Again in Iraq (more than March total)

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/12/world/13cnd-iraq.html?hp&ex=1144900800&en=367630fb5e3cb849&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Deaths of U.S. Soldiers Climb Again in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 12 - The death toll for American troops is rising steeply this month, with the military today announcing the deaths of two more soldiers, bringing the number of troops killed this month to at least 33. That figure already surpasses the American military deaths for all of March, and could signal a renewed insurgent offensive against the American presence here.

When 31 service members died last month, it was the second lowest monthly death toll of the war for the Americans, and the fifth month in a row of declining fatalities, according to statistics from the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, an independent organization.

But deaths have begun to rise quickly. Many of the fatalities this month have taken place in the parched Anbar Province, the heart of the Sunni Arab insurgency. The province was rated "critical" in a confidential report written recently by the American Embassy and the military command in Baghdad.

Though sectarian violence has recently overshadowed anti-American attacks in much of central Iraq, there are relatively few Shiites in Anbar, so much of the insurgency's venom is directed at the Americans there.

[rodeodance]

1. k

[TAPat]

2. The enemy of my enemy...?

"Though sectarian violence has recently overshadowed anti-American attacks in much of central Iraq, there are relatively few Shiites in Anbar, so much of the insurgency's venom is directed at the Americans there."

As my Dad used to say - 6 of 1, half a dozen of another... :(

[maddezmom]

3. just skimmed the article

did they mention wounded? :(

[LynnTheDem]

4. The past cpl mths, US troops have remained on bases, out of Baghdad.

This month, US troops are again back in Baghdad. Deaths will rise accordingly.

That is what bush calls his "progress".

[Teaser]

5. How often have I written the media and told them to

look at the deaths as a function of what month it is.

The damn thing is a seasonal trend. Why can't they figure it out?

[genie_weenie]

6. The reports of the death of the insurgency were greatly exaggerated!

Again and again. But, then I guess, when you are fighting a PR war any and all efforts to fool the American people are justified. We are Winning! The Light at the end of the tunnel, the tide has turned...

[flamingyouth]

7. kick

[lovuian]

8. U.S. military continues to take the heat in Iraq (33 died in April)

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=32becde57a013aec

April is turning out to be a cruel month for U.S. soldiers in Iraq. But the bad news should have come as no surprise.

As the New York Times reported Wednesday, the rates at which Sunni insurgents are killing U.S. troops soared over the past month.

As of Wednesday, April 12, 33 U.S. service members have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the month. The total for the whole of March was only 31. This reverses positive trends in the fall of U.S. military fatalities in Iraq since mid-January that we have tracked in these columns.

However, it should not have come as such a surprise. For as we have repeatedly pointed out in Iraq Benchmarks, even when the rate of U.S. military fatalities in Iraq fell significantly in recent months, the numbers of U.S. troops wounded, Iraqi troops killed and Iraqi civilians killed in terror bombings continued at their previous levels or higher.

The latest wave of casualties confirms another grim trend we have been tracking for more than half a year in this column: The failure of U.S. coalition and allied Iraqi security forces to be able to come up with an effective counter-tactic to neutralize the effectiveness of improvised explosive devices or IEDs.
more...
What a horrible mess to be in the middle of a freakin Civil War

[Hobarticus]

9. Don't look over there! Look HERE! Look....immigrants! War on Easter!

Do anything, but just don't look over there at those flag-draped coffins!

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. It's actually 38 dead

36 listed, and the two who have yet to be fished out of the Euphrates.

[lovuian]

11. Oh Sorry about the number... still a terrible terrible month!!!

yes the picture of the coffins draped with flags is a thought provoking and terribly sad picture...