Iraqi Insurgent Attacks Kill 13, Hurt 172!

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=716&e=1&u=/ap/20031227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

<snip>KARBALA, Iraq - Rebels unleashed a coordinated assault on military bases and the governor's office in the southern city of Karbala on Saturday, killing 13 people — including six soldiers from the U.S.-led occupation force and six Iraqi police officers — and wounding at least 172, officials said.

Four of the dead soldiers were from Bulgaria and two from Thailand. An Iraqi civilian also was killed.
Attackers detonated four suicide car bombs and fired mortar shells and grenades, wounding at least 37 other coalition soldiers, including five Americans and 19 Bulgarians, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt said in Baghdad.

Some 135 Iraqi civilians and police officers also were wounded, said Ali al-Arzawi, deputy director of Karbala General Hospital.
In other attacks Saturday, rebels detonated three homemade bombs that set aflame a fuel depot and injured six American soldiers.

Still, military officials said the number of attacks had decreased significantly. Kimmitt said attacks went down from about 50 a day in mid-September to an average of about 15 a day, spiking to 18 on Christmas Day.

[Barrett808]

1. This attack-rate claim (50/day to 15/day) can not possibly be true

If it were true, the slope of the reported-casualty graph would be correspondingly flatter -- but the slope remains unchanged for the entire length of the insurgency. And the slope is significantly steeper over the last week.

http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/USfatalities.html

[Snazzy]

3. turning into one big attack 24/7 n/t

[gristy]

4. What is most telling from that graph is it doesn't much matter

what * says or the U.S. does. People just keep dying. And don't forget the 10,000 wounded and sent home. An illegal, immoral war justified by lies. But then, I'm a Democrat and I hate America and I just don't get it.

[grok]

5. Well, it could be true HOWEVER

The insurgents/terrorists/whatever attacks are concentrating much more on soft,easy targets. Civilians. Not heavily armed and wary American troops. Far fewer attacks but the results in loss in life are much much higher. Almost cannibalistic since iraqis are now bearing the brunt of it now.

Grok

[WyLoochka]

8. Bookmarked that link

Barrett. Illuminating graph and counter. Thanks for posting.

[gristy]

2. A few hours ago the number killed was 4.

Sigh. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=287362

[leftchick]

6. only a moran would think this.....

From the reuters story....

<The attacks, part of a wave of guerrilla raids in Baghdad and deadly bombings to the north, dealt yet another blow to hopes the December 13 capture of former president Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) would soon rein in violence in Iraq that Washington blames on Saddam loyalist and Muslim militants. >

Saddam captured, all will be well! No one with half a brain believed that!

[gristy]

7. This doesn't happen too often, but look at this:

In other attacks Saturday, rebels detonated three homemade bombs that set aflame a fuel depot and injured six American soldiers.

Soldiers "injured" in a rebel attack. Injured, not wounded. To say that they were wounded would imply that they were fighting in some kind of war. :eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

9. dupe (sorry, leftchick)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=287275