A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq -471 U.S. service members have died

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_deaths&cid=540&ncid=1473

As of Friday, Dec. 26, 471 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq (news - web sites), according to the Department of Defense (news - web sites). Of those, 323 died as a result of hostile action and 148 died of non-hostile causes, the department said.

On or since May 1, when President Bush (news - web sites) declared that major combat operations in Iraq had ended, 333 U.S. soldiers have died — 208 as a result of hostile action and 125 of non-hostile causes, according to the Defense Department's figures.

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[Must_B_Free]

1. my only regret

is that I have but one live to give for my country...

[teryang]

2. My, those non hostile incidents sure are deadly

...non hostile wounded are significantly fewer in incidence than than non hostile deaths.

Think about it. Non hostile suicide. Soldiers sees killing and dead people and/or gets overstressed with hyperalertness to avoid being killed. Finally, without rest or treatment, he decides to kill himself. Evaluation- non hostile death. Compare this to the traditional VA evaluation- death secondary to combat related post traumatic stress disorder.

Military vehicle chases vehicle full of armed Iraqis who have fired on their unit. American vehicle with troops onboard caroms into river or canal after primative berm road shoulder collapses. At least one soldier in vehicle drowns. Classified as non combat related. Another soldier dives into water in an attempt to save passengers. He too drowns. Also classified by Centcom as non combat related.

Thank goodness that we have inspired PR people in the Pentagon to create this non combat related category of deaths to make the war in Iraq seem less costly than it really is.

[lebkuchen]

3. Hostile or non-hostile, by March, it will likely climb to around 600

Considering the number of predicted deaths and wounded a year, as well as the unlikelihood that the military will be a desireable career for those waiting in the wings, not to mention Bush's all but destroying the National Guard, the US will certainly have to go to the draft if the country continues to spread its imperialistic tentacles throughout the world.