Did our soldiers stop dying in Iraq?

[linazelle]

Very little to no news all of a sudden. The casualties seem to be going to the great graveyard where the Plame story was laid to rest. First we weren't allowed to see them, now we aren't allowed to hear about them. Only in Amerikkka.

[SadEagle]

1. No. Two more killed just today.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/12/22/sprj.irq.main/index.html

I think it did slow a little bit, but anything more than a zero is too much :-(

[htuttle]

2. No, they are still dying at about the same pace

But I think the media stopped caring about it, because it was making Little Boots look bad.

Two more died today, I think, but I only know that because I read it via DU.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. no the troops have not stopped dying

and yes this will be seen as a dark hour for the US Press

And more and more of an argument to break them up

[BronxDiva]

4. Yes, 2 more died and a new report of a soldier critically injured.

Wolf Blizter just reported it at 5:55. It took them a full 55 minutes into the program to report it though.

[htuttle]

10. New Report of another released today that actually died Dec. 18th

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2003/nr20031222-0804.html

[tom_paine]

5. Nope, still dying.

But it is NOT permissible to speak of these things in Corporate TV Pravda.

[kentuck]

6. I think there may be a "blackout" of the news as much as possible...

I don't think it possible for them to cover up the latest 2 casualties. However, I do recall that Bremer's convoy was hit and not a word for almost 2 weeks. But, until today, we had heard very little news from Iraq, other than Saddam. I think they are trying to have a blackout and give the impression everything has improved dramatically since the capture of Saddam. If they don't report it, the tree doesn't fall in the forest...

[izzie]

7. Did you see numbers listed at 11,000. I was really shocked to see that.

See Iraq Coalition Casualies site.

[Woodstock]

12. link

http://lunaville.org/warcasualties/Summary.aspx

[Woodstock]

8. Please keep in mind the severely wounded

They never get the attention they deserve in the media. They are getting legs, arms, faces blown off with alarming frequency.

Here is a must read:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/12/11/the_soldiers_bush_didnt_visit_on_thanksgiving/

...She does not want her name published. She is a nurse for the Department of the Army in Landstuhl, Germany, where casualties from the war in Iraq are treated at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. She respects the Army, and indeed, has a daughter in her third year at the US Military Academy at West Point. But the glowing reports she received from home about the Bush Thanksgiving in Baghdad prompted her to send, via e-mail from Germany, an account of her own holiday.

She writes:

"My `Bush Thanksgiving' was a little different . . . I spent it at the hospital taking care of a young West Point lieutenant wounded in Iraq. He had stabilization of his injuries in Iraq and then two long surgeries here for multiple injuries; he's just now stable enough to send back to the USA. After a few bites of dinner I let him sleep, and then cried with him as he woke up from a nightmare. When he pressed his fists into his eyes and rocked his head back and forth he looked like a little boy. They all do, all 19 on the ward that day, some missing limbs, eyes, or worse.

"There are two more long wards just like this one. The ICU has been receiving soldiers for many months now, often unconscious young men on ventilators with wives and parents (our age) bending over the beds, stroking whatever part isn't bandaged, pinned, or burned. It requires a deep breath and strong heart anymore to walk through those swinging doors; I know the photo IDs outside the rooms will bear little resemblance to the men in the rooms.

"It's too bad Mr. Bush didn't add us to his holiday agenda. The men said the same, but you'll never read that in the paper. Mr. President would rather lift fake turkeys for photo ops, it seems. Maybe because my patients wouldn't make very pleasant photos . . . most don't look all that great, and the ones with facial wounds and external fixation devices look downright scary. And a heck of a lot of them can't talk, anyway, and some never will talk again. . . Well, this is probably more than you want to know, but there's no spin on this one. It's pure carnage . . . Like all wars, the "shock and awe" eventually trickles down to blood and death. But you won't see that. I do, every single day."...

[tom_paine]

11. Of course this is to be found in the "Opinion" column

Because some brave soul wrote a letter.

What are the chances that Landstuhl will be shown on the Party-Loyal Right-Wing Sub-Media or Corporate TV Pravda?

0% Same as seeing Soviet wounded from Aghanistan 1989 on their Party-Loyal Sub-Media/Pravda.

Same. Chance.

0%.

And that is no coincidence.

[nottabubba]

9. Current figures from cryptome.org

http://cryptome.org/mil-dead-iqw.htm

Here are names, dates.

[diamond14]

13. bush* photo-op at Walter Reed Military Hospital.....sad....too sad.

as the WH web site shows...this was just another photo-op, not to comfort OUR wounded soldiers but to get photos feigning empathy and post on Public Relations web site

bush* spent '12 Minutes' giving a speech to the underpaid, overworked staff, and made these lame statements:

"Laura and I are thrilled to be here at the Army Medical Center."

"Laura and I have had, we've had a great visit here." (bush* really has fun and enjoys wallowing in the suffering that he created)...

"I want to thank the volunteers at Walter Reed. Many of you are veterans." (translation: thanks for free help...you didn't expect me to PAY for help....bush* has cut $ 90 Billion dollars from VA Hospitals, and is trying to close some VA hositals, even as the war casualties roll in)

I found it interesting that Walter Reed has more than 60 of its staff serving in the Iraqi theater today. (yes, bush*, 60 staff that should be at Walter Reed, taking care of these soldiers)

"We put a lot of fine troops into harm's way to make this country more secure and the world more free and the world more peaceful." (no, bush*, it wasn't WE, it was YOU who put these soldiers in harm's way...and it was for WMD...why lie in front of the war wounded? )






ttp://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031218-1.html

[nostamj]

14. how can you be asking that kind of question???

saddam is dead (well, almost)
and your country is under HIGH alert?
have you patrolled your neighborhood?
have you checked your duct tape for adhesion depletion?
when was the last time you ironed your flag?
and, have you sent Bush/Cheney '04 their 'christmas card' ???

/sarcasm

yes, they're still dying but TERROR TERROR TERROR (somehow, we're less safe than on 9.10.01........ go figure.

[bitchkitty]

15. My nephew is in Iraq -

he's been there for a couple of weeks now. A few days ago we heard on the news that a stryker had rolled over and killed 2 (I think) soldiers in his unit. It was a very bad day for us, and it's only just started.

This has totally fucked up my family. I don't go to my sister's house anymore. I'm so afraid for him, but if anything that strengthens the depth of my hatred for Bush. I think she feels like if she acts down on Bush or says anything negative, that in some way she'll curse her son and he'll die.

I update the Bush Body Count once a week or so - right now I wish I never started the damned thing, but I can't stop adding the names. I guess it's the opposite side of the same coin as my sister: I know it's ridiculous, but deep down I feel like if I stop, he'll die.

It is going to be a long, long year.

[Kanary]

16. My heart goes out to you

Having lost a son, I have some idea of the sense helplessness you must feel. Combined with all the various conflicts, it has to be very wearying.

Where is the Bush Body Count located?

thanks for your efforts.

Kanary

[ninkasi]

17. This must be so hard for you and your sister...

I don't have any friends or relatives serving in Iraq, and I worry constantly about the ones I don't know, am not related to, but who are in harm's way. How much harder it must be for those of you who do have loved ones there, and how you can bear it, I can't imagine.

My children are all past the age to serve, and my grandchildren not quite old enough yet, but if this drags out, they will be within months. It doesn't matter whether the relatives are Americans, Iraqis, or some other nationality; the ones who wanted this war and who started it aren't the ones who suffer. It isn't making the world safer, or more peaceful, it's just destroying lives, families, and dreams, in order to cater to the whims of a spoiled rotten, arrogant rich boy who has never had anything denied him.

[nostamj]

18. i'll be seeing my nephews in a couple of days

right now, they're safe. too young.

but, if the bushies get another term, they'll be in line for cannon fodder before they begin to live.

i won't say 'i understand' what your family must be going through. i don't.

and i fight bush so i won't have to.

[abbyhoffman]

19. Well

Did they stop dying in Germany right after WWII No it took about 4 years before the German loyalist stopped killing them

[are_we_united_yet]

20. Dont worry about that Plame story

Ashcroft is on the mission.