The unreported cost of war: at least 827 American wounded

[CatWoman]

Julian Borger, Washington
Monday August 4, 2003
The Guardian

US military casualties from the occupation of Iraq have been more than twice the number most Americans have been led to believe because of an extraordinarily high number of accidents, suicides and other non-combat deaths in the ranks that have gone largely unreported in the media.

Since May 1, when President George Bush declared the end of major combat operations, 52 American soldiers have been killed by hostile fire, according to Pentagon figures quoted in almost all the war coverage. But the total number of US deaths from all causes is much higher: 112.

The other unreported cost of the war for the US is the number of American wounded, 827 since Operation Iraqi Freedom began.

Unofficial figures are in the thousands. About half have been injured since the president's triumphant appearance on board the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln at the beginning of May. Many of the wounded have lost limbs.

The figures are politically sensitive. The number of American combat deaths since the start of the war is 166 - 19 more than the death toll in the first Gulf war.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4725751,00.html

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I've been wondering about this

There are 9000 disabled vets from Gulf War 1. This will far exceed that number in the long run.....and God help us when all these troops get home and start dealing with PTSD.

[Richardo]

2. Thanks, CW - I've been wondering about the wounded...

... about whom we hear virtually nothing.

And I've got to say, the reports of suicides get to me the most. What depths those tortured minds must sink to breaks my heart.

[madrchsod]

3. i read a newspaper story

about two lacrosse captains that played against each other in college and one ended up dead and the other lost both his feet.it was just another sad story in the beginning of this tragic tale of war.

[knowledgeispower]

4. Just like 'Nam nt

[mjb4]

5. It was on CBS Evening News

last week. A mother talked about how they did not want to tell her that her son lost an arm. She was by his bedside and the army was STILL Spinning and lying to her -- he is injured but nothing serious!

[kainah]

6. This is at least the 5th posting of this story

Here's the first, I think, of the many:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=50478&mesg_id=50478

[VolcanoJen]

7. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion by posting in the original, earliest thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=50081&mesg_id=50081

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator