Wolfowitz:deaths Won't Deter U.S. in Iraq [View All]

[Tinoire]

By WILLIAM C. MANN
The Associated Press
Sunday, July 27, 2003; 10:50 AM


WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's second-ranking official said Sunday he does not believe a mounting U.S. military death toll will erode Americans' support for restoring stability to Iraq.

"Iraq now is the central battle in the war on terrorism" and is vital for the safety of the United States, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said.

"The reports of deaths are terrible. Any American death is a terrible thing," Wolfowitz said. "But I think the American public understand that when you're fighting a war against terrorists, when you're fighting for the security of this country, that sacrifice is something that you'd have to expect."

Wolfowitz said he was unsure whether the upsurge in American combat deaths represented a trend or merely a spike triggered by the killing last week of two sons of deposed President Saddam Hussein.

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(The rest of the article is really a must read!)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A52909-2003Jul27