Iraqi deaths spike five months into US troop surge

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

Iraqi deaths spike five months into US troop surge by Joseph Krauss
Wed Aug 1, 5:19 AM ET



BAGHDAD (AFP) - The number of Iraqi civilians killed in the country's brutal civil conflict rose by more than a third in July despite a five-month-old surge in US troop levels, government figures showed Wednesday.

At least 1,652 civilians were killed in Iraq in July, 33 percent more than in the previous month, according to figures compiled by the Iraqi health, defence and interior ministries and made available to AFP.

Casualties continued to mount as a massive car bomb tore through a major Baghdad intersection -- the fifth such blast to strike the city centre in the past week -- killing at least 10 people.

Meanwhile, two critical reports emerged pointing to weaknesses in American efforts to rebuild and stabilise Iraq, which has been in the grip of several overlapping civil conflicts for more than four years.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070801/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_070801091932

[UKProPeace]

1. Less US troop deaths, but more Iraqi deaths

Is the "surge" making it more difficult for the "insurgents" to target US troops now, and much easier to target Iraqi civilians? Is the "surge" merely there to protect troops who would otherwise be targets of attacks? Shouldn't the first priority of an occupying force be to protect the local populace, not each other?

[gratuitous]

3. Fewer US troop deaths?

Uhm, not exactly. From the icasualties website:

July 2003 - 48
July 2004 - 54
July 2005 - 54
July 2006 - 43
July 2007 - 78

That represents a drop, does it? Because to my admittedly feeble mind, it looks like the worst July ever in Iraq.

[mikeytherat]

4. And precipitated by the worst three-month stretch we've seen since spring '03

But, really, its getting much, much better. I mean, we've averaged about 50 deaths each July since '03, and we lost 78 this July, but that's progress, and it means everything is better. Because its worse.

I think my neck just snapped from sheer torque.

mikey_the_rat

[UKProPeace]

6. I was speaking of the spin about less troop deaths

However, according to that article, it was stated that these were the lowest figures since November, in that case it could be said just as I have.

[LetsThink]

8. EXACTLY - it's all SPIN to support Pollack's NYT article...

which is itself spin to promote/support the R's love of a fight (never mind if it's a good cause, if it's doing more harm than good)...what a bunch of ..%$$$#!!@

All those lives lost; all those young people maimed, scarred for life physically and mentally! All the innocent civilian lives lost--

And.... hatred of the US grows HOURLY - by the minute, second!

When will it ever stop?

[xchrom]

2. fascinating isn't it? -- fewer of ours killed -- but a lot more innocent iraqis.

bushco never ever cared for iraq -- the people of iraq or the political structure of iraq.

this is a war he chose for reasons that had/have nothing to do with terrorism -- otherwise he wouldn't make the country less safe by continuing this nightmare.

[BearSquirrel2]

5. If the surge hasn't taken "full effect" yet, god help the Iraqis ...

At this rate the surge will completely bugger them. In September the Republicans who are 100% behind the war will be COMPLETELY screwed.

[LetsThink]

7. Illusions.....

Just look at these headlines about war casualties!


Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 4:19 AM PDT
BAGHDAD (AP) Iraqi police say the death toll from a fuel tanker explosion at a gas station caused by a suicide attacker has risen to at least 50.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007,
BAGHDAD (AP) Iraq's largest Sunni Arab political bloc announces its withdrawal from the government.


Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 11:57 PM PDT
BAGHDAD (AP) The U.S. military says three American soldiers were killed and six wounded by an armor-piercing bomb in eastern Baghdad.

Now, here's someone living under illusion (don't mean to offend anyone):

Wednesday, August 1, 2007 9:14 AM PDT
Cheney: Iraq crackdown yielding results

7:58 AM PDT US Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday that the US troop "surge" in Iraq had improved security there, and defended the decision by lawmakers in Baghdad to take a one-month August vacation.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 9:19 PM PDT
Cheney backs up Clinton critic
8:00 PM PDT
Vice President Dick Cheney is backing a Pentagon bureaucrat who accused Hillary Rodham Clinton of stoking "enemy propaganda" by asking for Iraq withdrawal contingencies -- even though Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently reassured Clinton such planning was "essential."

[Barrett808]

9. One more rec please -- for the Iraqi people n/t

[superconnected]

10. done.

[Olney Blue]

11. Has Karen Hughes been informed? This makes us look bad.