Blair Rules Out Iraq Civilian Death Toll Probe

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041208/wl_nm/iraq_letter_dc&cid=574&ncid=1480

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) rejected a call Wednesday for an independent inquiry into the civilian death toll in the U.S.-led war in Iraq (news - web sites).

The call came in an open letter to the premier made available to Reuters and signed by over 40 diplomats, peers, scientists and churchmen.

Any totaling of the Iraqi civilian war dead could embarrass Blair ahead of a general election expected next May in a country that mostly opposed the U.S.-led war.

Britain and the United States have suffered around 1,070 military losses in the war since it began in March 2003 but the countrywide casualty count is not known.

Blair, however, said he saw no need for an inquiry.

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[Magleetis]

1. No need

because the Iraqis aren't people to him. Too bad half the people in this country feel the same.

[Voltaire99]

8. Unpersons

Why count 'em? To the leaders of empire and their faith-spouting followers, all dead Iraqis look the same.

[Solly Mack]

2. I guess if England was invaded there would be no need

to ascertain the death toll of her citizens either.

That's good to know....wouldn't want to dirty my beautiful mind with such things.

[gratuitous]

3. "No need for an inquiry"

Tell me Mr. Blair, how do you evaluate the ongoing mission in Iraq if you don't have all the facts at hand? Or are you saying that the number of Iraqi civilian dead is irrelevant to whatever task you're trying to accomplish? Could you explain what your goal is, such that tens of thousands of dead civilians don't make any difference to it?

[underpants]

4. -

[GoSolar]

5. Blair needs to be impeached

along with the Chimp.

[Benhurst]

6. Tony "The Bridge" Blair is a war criminal. nt

[Fridays Child]

7. If not human life, what is important to these criminals?