[Marxism] Total casualties well above 9% - over 25, 000 - Editor and Publisher Nov 25, 2004

[Ralph Johansen <michele@xxxxxxxx>]

<The total number of casualties is about 25,000, plus the more than 
1,200 killed. Since about 300,000 men and women have served in Iraq, it 
makes for a casualty rate of about 9%.>

Am I mistaken here? If this report accurately reflects the numbers and 
if you subtract the support personnel in more secure areas (a high 
proportion of personnel are in support roles) from the total deployed, 
the chances of a combat soldier getting killed or wounded in Iraq are 
high and rising - especially as tours of duty are extended.

With the vital central bodily functions protected by sophisticated body 
armor but the head and limbs exposed, the survival rate of the seriously 
wounded has to be way above historical estimates. Chances of sustaining 
disabling injury therefore may well be, not just nine percent, but in 
the neighborhood of at least one in four for combat personnel. "60 
minutes" states that only twenty percent return to duty.

This is an unsustainable attrition rate. Pentagon and embedded press are 
fudging the numbers. No one else has so far picked up on this.

Ralph


Editor and Publisher

Press Routinely Undercounts U.S. Casualties in Iraq

By E&P Staff

Published: November 25, 2004 7:00 PM ET
*
NEW YORK * As the toll of Americans killed and wounded in Iraq in 
November approaches record levels for one month in this war, is the 
press only telling part of the story?

The Pentagon's latest official count, provided on Wednesday, listed 1230 
American military killed in Iraq and another 9300 U.S. troops wounded in 
action. How seriously? More than 5000 of them were too badly injured to 
return to duty. More than 850 troops were reported to have been wounded 
in action in Falluja so far.

But this only scratches the surface of the total toll.

Earlier this week, CBS’s "60 Minutes" revealed that it had received a 
letter from the Pentagon declaring: "More than 15,000 troops with 
so-called 'non-battle' injuries and diseases have been evacuated from 
Iraq."

These include serious injuries that arise from accidents (vehicular and 
otherwise), trauma and severe psychiatric problems. The number is in 
line with estimates offered earlier this year by United Press 
International, based on arrivals at the main treatment center in 
Landstuhl, Germany.

Some of these Landstuhl cases are not serious but according to "60 
Minutes" only 20 percent of the evacuees return to their units in Iraq.

None of the non-hostile injuries are included in the casualty count, 
"leaving the true human cost of the war something of a mystery,” 60 
Minutes states.

The total number of casualties is about 25,000, plus the more than 1,200 
killed. Since about 300,000 men and women have served in Iraq, it makes 
for a casualty rate of about 9%.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
/E&P Staff /


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