IRAQ’S CASUALTIES

Here’s some useful context on the tragedies that accompany all wars. Here’s a chart comparing deaths in all America’s wars. If you take the 2,000 death toll of the current war in Iraq, and average out over the 30 months of combat in that country, you arrive at the grim tally of 68 deaths a month. If you only count deaths caused by hostile forces, the number goes down to 53 deaths per month. That remains the lowest ever military death rate of any war in U.S. history. It’s below even the first Gulf War. Part of this may be attributable to remarkable advances in medicine for the wounded – which leaves many, many more individuals alive but badly injured. And part of it is a consequence of the Rumsfeld decision to let Iraqi civilians be murdered in the thousands, rather than provide basic order and stability in an occupied country. But it’s important to keep some context in mind. Every death is an incalculable tragedy for the families and friends left behind. In no way am I attempting to minimize this appalling toll. At the same time, this has been an historically low-military-casualty conflict. That’s worth knowing.