2007 deadliest for US troops in Iraq [dying for the Bush surge)

[rodeodance]

Source: ap



2007 deadliest for US troops in Iraq

By BRADLEY BROOKS, Associated Press Writer 9 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - The second half of 2007 saw violence drop dramatically in Iraq, but the progress came at a high price: The year was the deadliest for the U.S. military since the 2003 invasion, with 898 troops killed.
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American commanders and diplomats, however, say the battlefield gains against insurgents such as al-Qaida in Iraq offer only a partial picture of where the country stands as the war moves toward its five-year mark in March.

Two critical shifts that boosted U.S.-led forces in 2007 — a self-imposed cease-fire by a main Shiite militia and a grassroots Sunni revolt against extremists — could still unravel unless serious unity efforts are made by the Iraqi government.

Iran also remains a major wild card. U.S. officials believe the neighboring country has helped quiet Iraq by reducing its flow of suspected aid to Shiite fighters, including materials needed for deadly roadside bombs.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071230/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_casualties;_ylt=AlZbhbHFgnWWzlm4qMnWbTruOrgF

[rockybelt]

1. The surge sure as hell worked didn't it?

The report I saw was that over 1,000 have been killed in 07.

The two critical shifts- a self imposed cease fire- is about over. Al Sadr has given his people a rest, re-armed them and is ready to strike again. The grass roots Sunni revolt, that is financed and armed by the US, will turn those weapons on US soldiers and they will turn them against the Shiia. Already, the bombings and deaths are starting to increase in Baghdad, but it hasn't even started yet. Iran is doing more to keep the peace there than the US is doing. Yet, Iran is still in the cross hairs of this regime and they will spin every piece of information and repeat lies often enough that some people will begin to believe it is the truth. The same thing they did with Iraq. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are controlling a large part of Afghanistan, Turkey is bombing northern Iraq, and invading Iraq, Pakistan is going to hell in a hand cart because of this stupid regime...but my mind wanders.

When this regime and this msm tries to tell you that things are going swimmingly well in Iraq, kindly tell them to go fuck themselves.

[hack89]

2. The surge required higher casualties

offensive operations where you go and aggressively seek out the enemy for a fight will result in higher casualties. The surge was about trading american lives for Iraqi security - the jury is still out whether it will work or not.

[ohio2007]

3. US Causalities due to hostile fire by month in 2007

2007
78 Jan
71 Feb
71 Mar
96 Apr Surge into "no go" zones begins
120 May
93 Jun
66 Jul
56 Aug
42 Sep
29 Oct
29 Nov
14 December 2007

Graphs and charts per year show different #'s
http://icasualties.org/oif/ByYearGraph.aspx


What Iraq does with these #'s is their call in '08. The UN wants the US troops to stay in '08. ( mighty nice of the inner council at the UN to vote unanimously to keep US forces bogged down eh ? )

[tabasco]

10. LMAO. It's the UN's fault we're bogged down in Iraq?

You're a fucking comedian.

[sakabatou]

11. Yep

More bodies for the war machine machine. More skulls for the skull throne. :puke:

[NorthCarolina]

4. It Seems by Most Media Accounts

the war is essentially over and not even worth reporting about. Hmmmm....could it be we're being misled by our fair and balanced media?

[durtee librul]

5. I heard some jackass on CNN this

morning saying the ONLY 20 soldiers died this month and that the general in charge attributes it to the surge being successful.

So I guess my question is this to Mr numnutts CNN - so we should be 'happy' only 20 soldiers died this month?

What a f'g waste of air this guy was...and is. I wrote to CNN and voiced my displeasure and told them they were getting just as bad as Fox.

I cannot fathom what is going on with our media. Just where the hell are the REAL journalists who weren't afraid to bck the system and report REAL news? All dead I guess...so sad.

[NorthCarolina]

6. Seems to me that the media

has become almost "scripted" of late. We have all known for quite some time that the war was going to be the biggest damaclese sword hanging over the Republicans for the 08 elections.....but WAIT..... now the media, in unison, is suddenly painting a rosy picture of our "progress" in Iraq...GLORY BE....and just in time for the election season. Next, Bhutto gives her life so that the media can turn attention from the "war" (which is going swimmingly of course) to the real threat to our sovereignty which is of course "TERROR" which just coincidentally is the one thing Republicans poll highest on is fighting "TERROR" (they're pretty good at generating it too so they can protect us from it).

The whole thing is so neat, so convenient, and so predictable that it truly is as if it is all written down on a daily "script" that is sent out to all media outlets who obediently stick to script.

Fo me, I intend to throw them a monkey wrench in their "works", and I hope and pray others will join me. I will support Kucinich in the primaries not only because he's the best candidate who truly represents "we the people", but also because the media script won't be written to take into account Kucinich popularity because they are smug in thinking they have successfully marginalized him long ago.

It's time to fight back or throw in the towel forever it seems. Kucinich is my hope for the future.

[humbled_opinion]

7. The new script is being written..

War is going good so when America votes for Democratic President the Democrat won't be able to remove the troops for fear that removing them will spark violence that will be used as a political wedge against him or her....

My God this is insanity... :nuke:

[superconnected]

8. 898 familys got the good news this year. Pelois, thanks, you certianly HELPED.

Stopping it just doesn't seem to be on your agenda. I hope ALL of the voters remember why you got elected and how you turned out to be a complete BUSH BOT and vote you out on the next election.

[IsItJustMe]

9. I love how our m$m has recently taken to only looking at the stats for the last couple of months and

saying how good things are in Iraq right now. These bastards.

[ryanmuegge]

12. Try as they may, they won't be able to take it off the table for the elections

It is still in the minds of the voting public. That doesn't mean they won't try their hardest.

[Doctor_J]

13. This, combined with the OH-NG call-up, indicate to me that the MSM

are LYING about what's happening in the ME. Imagine that!

[ohio2007]

15. not exactly

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/NEWS24/712310371/-1/NEWS

I read that Ohio guard article. Between the lines it shows the troops are going to be assigned convoy duty along routs once controlled by the British elements.........

The US may be better off hiring Iraqi native teamsters and militias eventually.

[ohio2007]

14. civilian deaths in Iraq in December were down 75 percent from a year ago,

Civilian casualties drop dramatically in Iraq
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071231/ts_nm/iraq_dc




Military Fatalities: By Month
December 2007 22
http://icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx

Couldn't find a month in the entire campaign where the fatalities recorded such a low number.

imo, The Iraqi's truly are waking up and a surge in troops out of Iraq could be possible by next summer as scheduled.

I don't see this data as a bad thing for the next president.

As long as the MSM continues to ignore Iraq, the 'freedom fighters' have only one way to gauge their effectiveness.


Leaders hit back at 'weak' bin LadenFrom correspondents in Ramadi
December 31, 2007 09:54pm
Article from: Agence France-PresseFont size: + -

IRAQI Sunni tribal and political leaders singled out as "traitors" by Osama bin Laden have hit back, accusing the Al-Qaeda chief of being un-Islamic and mocking him as being weak.

"Bin Laden's statement doesn't affect us - he is making these threats from a position of weakness," said Sheikh Khalid Shahudh, a senior member of the Awakening Council ...
snip

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22992823-1702,00.html

Let them push away the US crutch in '08

[lpbk2713]

16. And it was almost five years ago he told us "Mission Accomplished"

He was lying then and he is still lying today. And you can be sure he will continue with his lying tomorrow.

[ckramer]

17. Wait for Bush invade Iran

For the TPTB, every life lost is worth the oil we will get.