Toll on U.S. troops in Iraq grows as wounded rolls approach 10,000

[Tinoire]

Posted on Fri, Nov. 28, 2003

Toll on U.S. troops in Iraq grows as wounded rolls approach 10,000
BY ROGER ROY
The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. - (KRT) - Nearly 10,000 U.S. troops have been killed, wounded, injured or become ill enough to require evacuation from Iraq since the war began, the equivalent of almost one Army division, according to the Pentagon.

Unlike the more than 2,800 American fighting men and women logged by the Defense Department as killed and wounded by weapons in Iraq, the numbers of injured and sick have been more difficult to track, leading critics to accuse the military of under-reporting casualty numbers.

Military officials deny they are fudging the numbers. But the latest figures show that 9,675 U.S. troops have been killed, wounded, injured such as in accidents, or become sick enough to require airlifting out of Iraq.

<snip>

The number of sick and injured is almost certainly substantially higher, because the figures provided by the military last week include totals only through Oct. 30.


<snip>

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/7368173.htm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Isn't this pathetic?

From the article:

The number of sick and injured is almost certainly substantially higher, because the figures provided by the military last week include totals only through Oct. 30.

Virginia Stephanakis, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Army surgeon general, said there has been no effort to manipulate the casualty statistics.

"I can reassure you that these are the best figures we have," Stephanakis said. "We're certainly not playing with the numbers or trying to downplay them."

So now, we're getting lies from people of whom we've never heard! Stupendous. The next spokesperson will probably ask, "have I ever lied to you."

[loudnclear]

21. So is this pathetic..

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/366499.html

Is any of this worth the cost? For what purpose and to whose benefit?

[nolabels]

2. And for November we have this>>>>>>>>>

* should of told the People of Iraq while he just over there, that he already called for "MISSION ACOMPLISHED".

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/11/29/MNGNT3CO0V1.DTL
GI death toll sets monthly record: 79
Iraq guerrillas refine tactics, step up attacks

Bradley Graham, Washington Post Saturday, November 29, 2003

Washington -- More U.S. troops have died in Iraq in November than in any month since the war began last March, according to Pentagon figures.

With November nearly over, the official death count Friday stood at 79, surpassing March (65) and April (73), when the invasion was under way and fighting was most intense and widespread.

The surge reflects an increase in the effectiveness and the frequency of guerrilla attacks.

About half of the deaths resulted from the downing of four military helicopters, in which 39 soldiers were killed. U.S. aircraft in Iraq have been targeted in the past, but these incidents, involving either a surface-to-air missile or rocket-propelled grenade, marked the first major hits.

Most of the other U.S. combat fatalities occurred in ground attacks by enemy fighters using weapons that have become characteristic of their resistance: guns, rocket-propelled grenades and remote-controlled explosives.
(SNIP)

[Pocho]

3. THE SCORE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST

Before their war was won = 138. After their mission accomplished = 305 more, Total young land of the free and home of the brave heroes just following orders = 443 (not counting dying among 2,444 wounded.). Iraqi men, women, and children evil doers massacred = 9,479. Those seeking vengeance for sake of family and invaded homeland honor = most. Years for Viet Cong to come together = several. Time for Iraqi resistance to build = damned near immediate. Have a nice day.:)

[tlb]

4. Have we ever lumped together "all causes" like this ?

The ACTUAL numbers of killed and wounded are bad enough. Padding the numbers in this way just gives skeptcs cause to disregard such news as exaggerated, dishonest, and distorted.

[davhill]

6. It's bad enough without exageration

I agree that we should stick to hard figures. The 10,000 includes things like pregnancy, and sprained ankles. Let's maintain our perspective, the casualty rate is lower than in previous wars. That does not make the war right, but the military should be commended for its improved tactics, armour, and level of field medical care.

[0007]

7. I agree!

[Minstrel Boy]

9. But are soldiers evacuated for sprained ankles?

I would think that's something that can be easily tended to in the field.

[bahrbearian]

13. Sure they can tend to them in the feild

just like fractures , broken ribs, fingers, teeth, and concussion's. Everyone get's to bring home a memory.

[treepig]

16. or perhap what the army should really be commended for,

in regard to the relatively low casualties,

is picking on a foe helpless enough not to be able to inflict significant damage.

[mumon]

14. Military Planners do it ALL the time- they have to

because otherwise you'd get wildly inaccurate underestimates of troop strength.

It's actually the correct thing to do, and is why there's more forecasts of an upcoming draft.

An army that is seeing NO conflict at all will eventually break down without reinforcements of troops and maintenance on vehicles and people.

So, this really, really really is the true cost of the conflict.

And yes, it's worse than if they were "at home."

[Say_What]

18. Padding the numbers? Hardly...

10,000 is a very legitimate and conservative number according to what I've been hearing on Free Speech Radio. To get a picture of what's actually happening in Iraq we need to be informed about ALL casualties.

FYI, the Pentagon sent mental-health experts to Iraq in September to study cases of suicide among ground troops, and to determine whether sufficient counseling was available for soldiers. Keeerist, are they stooopid enough to believe that if a soldier gets a little counseling then they can go back and kill another human being or not pay the consequences one pays for taking another human life? It ain't shaping up to be a piece of cake war like the Weasel in the White House thought it was gonna be.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/7009365.htm

[ninkasi]

5. This will be Bush's legacy...

to be placed with Hitler, Stalin, and other tyrants who have caused countless deaths and unimaginable suffering to people. These numbers are just for U.S. troops; the number of Iraqui casualties is much, much higher.

Iraq, that already poor country, is being used by the neocon chickenhawks as a means to further their own agenda. It is to our shame that this is happening. Our country has lost it's soul.

[Guaranteed]

8. Wow...a whole division out of commission

10,000....that's a huge number. That's hits home more with me than the 500 dead.

[teryang]

10. This is the first article I've seen detailing

...pscychiatric casualties.

<Another 504 troops were evacuated for treatment of psychiatric problems.

Stephanakis could not say how many of the psychiatric cases have been diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder, a debilitating mental condition that can strike troops who have been in combat or a war zone.

"I have no breakdown," she said. "Most are related to what people call combat stress, depression, anxiety.">

In other words, these are the acute cases of traumatic stress disorder. Many more will become apparent later as Delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

[prolesunited]

17. Wonder how many new

McVeigh's and Muhammad's that we've just created? We program killing machines, then when they turn on their own when the get home, we execute them. Something is terribly wrong with that picture.

I hope these people get the help and meds that they need. It wasn't until recently that I found out that my father, who was on the ground in France during WWII, seriously contemplated suicide when he came back because of all the pain and suffering, death and destruction that he was exposed to.

And that was a just war. Clearly, Hitler and the Nazis posed a threat to the entire world. Imagine that if you are troubled be fighting in a justified action what it must be like to be fighting in the name of oil and corporate imperialism.

[teryang]

22. Clearly we going to have a substantial number

...of returning veterans with suicidal and homicidal thoughts. My opinion is that the current number of 500 acute psychiatric cases is only the tip of the iceberg.

[IndianaGreen]

11. "504 troops were evacuated for treatment of psychiatric problems."

Those are the ticking time-bombs that we know about. How about the ones we don't know exist?

[Judi Lynn]

12. Like the cluster of Afghanistan vets at Ft. Bragg becoming single again

It seems no one spotted any of them as being fragile psycholically after their shorter tours there.

[Say_What]

19. Suicide rate is high enough that the Pentagon sent a *team* in September

to investigate why so many were killing themselves.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/7009365.htm

[pdove]

15. Why do not Bush Twins go to Iraq?

instead thousands of us ruined for his imperial dream?

[Say_What]

20. Bring 'em home is a far better solution--Bushie's cake walk war is

turning out to be a f*ck'n nightmare.