Top General underestimates Iraq War fatalities in Memorial Day media appearance

[babylonsister]

This is just pathetic.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Top_General_underestimates_US_fatalities_in_0528.html

Top General underestimates Iraq War fatalities in Memorial Day media appearance
Michael Roston
Published: Monday May 28, 2007


The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff dramatically underestimated the number of deaths of US Armed Service-members in the Iraq War. The gaffe came as General Peter Pace appeared on CBS News Monday morning to discuss Memorial Day.

"When you take a look at the life of a nation and all that's required to keep us free, we had more than 3,000 Americans murdered on 11 September, 2001. The number who have died, sacrificed themselves since that time is approaching that number," General Pace told CBS Early Show's Harry Smith. "And we should pay great respect and thanks to them for allowing us to live free."

General Pace's remarks were erroneous on several counts.

First, the website Iraq Coalition Casualty Count puts the number of US service-members killed since the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003 at 3,455. The Pentagon only lists it as 3,441, with 14 deaths not yet being confirmed by the Pentagon. With either number, the total number of fatalities long passed the count of victims who died on 9/11.

Second, the General overestimated the number of deaths on 9/11. The website September 11, 2001 Victims states that 2,996 died in the attacks, rather than "more than 3,000 murdered" that Pace cites.

Finally, many of the victims who died on 9/11 were not American citizens. The aforementioned website lists 209 of the victims as foreign nationals.

more...

Pace's appearance at CBS News's "Early Show" can be viewed at link~

[acmavm]

1. Those of any military competence are gone. The dolts and warmongers

are left.

[merci_me]

2. Excellent! K&R n/t

[Roy]

3. More than 3800???

Why is CNN reporting today (Memorial Day, Monday) 3,8?? have been killed? They can't have combined Afghanistan, for then it would be more than 4,000.

I saw this reported twice so, if it were an error they would most likely have corrected it by now.

[Igel]

4. He's clearly wrong on the 9/11 numbers.

But I suspect he's looking at US soldiers who died from hostile action or causes, not just those who died--the different is suicide, illness, accidents, and the like.

I don't know that those who died from illness or who killed himself sacrificed themselves in the same way somebody who died in battle did. Same grief for the family. One could argue the illness or suicide was because of Iraq, but I still put those deaths in a category different from those who were killed.

on edit: one should re-read one's post before posting when scanning things and typing one handed.

[EFerrari]

5. He's also not counting contractors or journalists.

And forget about the wounded.