US LOSING IRAQ: MEDIA QUIET AS CASUALTIES SOAR

[BreakForNews]

US LOSING IRAQ: MEDIA QUIET AS CASUALTIES SOAR

5th Sept. 2006 - by Fintan Dunne, Editor http://www.BreakForNews.com

In the last two weeks, the U.S. casualty rate in Iraq has spiked to levels not seen
since the assault on Fallujah in late 2005. According to official figures, pending
confirmation a total of 42 soldiers have been killed in the last 14 days. That's an
average of three fatalities a day --a casualty rate only eclipsed by deaths during
the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the assault on Fallujah.

The increased fatalities confirm signs the U.S. is losing control of Al-Anbar province.

The rise in casualties probably comes as a surprise to casual readers of the mainstream
media in the West. Two recent bouts of casualties went almost unreported. Last weekend
nine U.S. soldiers died in fighting and the previous weekend the same grisly toll of
nine dead was recorded. The eighteen deaths barely managed to get more than a handful
of sentences in media reports.

A week ago, one Associated press report merely reported that "nine U.S. soldiers were
killed over the weekend in and around Baghdad, eight by roadside bombs and one by gunfire".

The AP account of these deaths carried no further details --concentrating instead on clashes
between Shiite militia and Iraqi security forces. An early version of the article had
the headline "Dozens killed in Iraq; 8 U.S. troops die". Later revisions changed the headline
to read instead: "40 killed as Shiites battle Iraqi forces".

The same coyness seems to have infected an AFP report on Monday which detailed developments
in Iraq. Under a headline of "Iraq kills 14 'terrorists' after deadly gunbattle", a single
sentence near the end of the article records merely that "ten US soldiers died on Sunday and
Monday, one of them from "non-combat injuries" and the rest in combat, the military said".

Once again, a second shocking loss of forces by the U.S. occupation passed without further
details being reported.

In between those signal losses, other deaths of from one to four soldiers daily, have taken
the two week toll to 42 dead. The U.S. military has also provided little details in many cases.
Most of those who died were killed in and around Baghdad or in "the western Al Anbar province".


U.S. soldiers patrol in the Dora district in Baghdad, August 15, 2006.
REUTERS/Ross Colvin

It is inevitable that U.S. casualties get less mention as the war in Iraq continues. But the
latest spike in casualties has undoubtedly been newsworthy. Yet a search of Google News also
shows scant coverage.

Excepting foreign media. Headlined "Nine US casualties in Iraq over the weekend", one account
comes from the Granma news agency in Cuba. Perhaps the Cuban media are unconcerned their news
reports might highlight negative aspects of an occupation already unpopular among Americans.
Another blunt report comes from Indonesian media.

Maybe these non-Western media outlets are reporting unconstrained by the fact that it's
election season now in the United States. Or maybe there's a deeper reason for media coyness.

One might almost be forgiven for thinking that there is a rebel offensive underway in Iraq.
Many of the casualties have been reportedly due to "enemy action".

The latest Iraq Index report from the Brookings Institute says the resistance activity is holding
at around 90 attacks per day --up 30% on the same time in 2005. The U.S. military recently asked
citizens in al-Anbar to stop targeting them, and promised to withdraw to nearby bases.

Seasoned Iraq correspondents, Dahr Jamail and Ali Al-Fadhily write that the U.S. military has
lost control over al-Anbar province, according to local Iraqi police and residents. In losing
control of this province, the U.S. would have lost control over much of Iraq, they report.

Hardly an ideal backdrop for the GOP, just ahead of their encounter with U.S. voters.


Recent U.S. Iraq Casualties
---------------------------

4 Soldiers September 4th
8 Soldiers September 3rd
2 Soldiers September 1st
3 Soldiers August 30th
2 Soldiers August 29th
2 Soldiers August 28th
12 Soldiers August 27th
2 Soldiers August 26th
1 Soldier August 25th
4 Soldiers August 24th
2 Soldiers August 23rd
-- -------- -------------
42 Soldiers In Two Weeks

Sep-2006 14 Dead so far.

Last 2 wks 42 Dead. Average 3.0 a day.
Aug-2006 65 Dead. Average 2.13 a day.
Jul-2006 43 Dead. Average 1.48 a day.
Jun-2006 61 Dead. Average 2.10 a day.


See Also:

18 U.S. Soldiers Down the Memory Hole
http://breakfornews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=680

The Real State of the Iraq War
http://breakfornews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629

U.S. Losing Control Fast
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34587


Casualty sources:

http://icasualties.org/oif/BY_DOD.aspx
http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx

References:

Dozens killed in Iraq; 8 U.S. troops die
http://tinyurl.com/hg4h5

40 killed as Shiites battle Iraqi forces
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060828/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

Google News search for US casualties
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=US+casualties

Foreign Media Reports
http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=19466
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2006/agosto/lun28/36iraq9.html

Iraq Index Report
http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.htm

[habitual]

1. I'll tell you what's become of the media:

I was able to see and know about EVERY MINUTE of some dude named KARR's life for at least a week. Every time this guy took a shit, they were reporting on it and showing us footage. Every time he moved a muscle or one word came out of his mouth, they told me about it. Americans dying in IRAQ in a war of convenience for some weatlthy prick that calls himself the president is not that important tho.

[marmar]

2. And then there's Afghanistan, which is spiraling all to hell...

The number of attacks on troops there is approaching the level in Iraq, and the U.S.-friendly government there is teetering, with a not-so-U.S. friendly one ready to take over. In a few words, things are really bollocksed up, in Afghanistan and Iraq.

[catmandu57]

3. All hell has broken loose there

and we're right smack dab in the middle. It's going to get really bad fast, they won't be able to whitewash this, there won't be enough whitewash to cover up.

[RedEarth]

4. good post.........

[Philosoraptor]

5. SSHHH! you'll awaken the populace.

[pyro858]

6. Why does the media hate America?

As far as i'm concerned the media is my enemy and that's how they should be treated.

[GreenTea]

7. Ah yes....It's working....

Pound the media for month's screaming it only reports the bad things about invading Iraq and stealing oil in Iraq and corporations profiting from the US occupying Iraq(all with OUR tax dollars)---And then when Rove needs the media most to shut the fuck up...they feel obliged to do their patriotic duty not report the bad news...what else is there?-- Especially since Bush & the repugs are running around saying things are getting better (at least until November 7th). We know who owns the corporate media and what party all five of the corporate networks sends its huge multi-million dollar donations each year to....Hint: It ain't the democratic party!

[onenote]

8. sadly, the numbers aren't all that different

I think one of the reasons for the lack of attention paid to the number of Americans dying in Iraq is that it has become a steady stream. Sure it has peaks and valleys, but if you just look at a two week period, you can find other examples of similar spikes. In the first two weeks of May, for example, the number killed in Iraq averaged 3.5 per day...even higher than the past two weeks. I'm certainly not trying to excuse the failure to present this information forcibly to the American public, just to explain it.

[Disturbed]

9. The US Corp Media recieved their orders.

Tone down the coverage of the Busholioni Wars. Report on anything else but those Wars and if there is any coverage mention the "Good things" that are happening. What are the carrots and sticks that the US Corp. Media recieves?

[BreakForNews]

10. Agreed

Agreed. Early May was bad --79 lost for the month.
We are probably on track to equal that toll.

But in a long time watching how they report these
fatalities, I've never seen such blatant downplaying.

Meahwhile, 10,000 Iraqis have died in the last four months,
and Sistani has washed his hands of restraining the Shiites.

I no longer have power to save Iraq from civil war, warns Shia leader

03/09/2006 - The most influential moderate Shia leader in Iraq has abandoned attempts
to restrain his followers, admitting that there is nothing he can do to prevent the
country sliding towards civil war.
http://breakfornews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=740

The administration talks a lot of it's handover to Iraqi forces.
Wonder if they are handing over to Shiite deaths squads too,
in their losing battle against the largely Sunni resistance.

[mhatrw]

11. kick n/t