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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings, Torture and Big Money |
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December 31st,
2007 - 2007 is America’s Deadliest Year in Iraq |
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2007 is America’s Deadliest Year
in Iraq By Allegra Stratton and agencies The Guardian December 31, 2007 This year has been the most
deadly for American troops in Iraq since the invasion nearly five years ago,
US military figures out today show. Deaths peaked in May when
126 American soldiers died in coalition assaults on insurgent strongholds.
The second half of the year saw violence drop dramatically with the American
surge of 30,000 extra troops and a freeze on activities by some militias. As of last night in Baghdad,
21 deaths were reported in December, one more than in February 2004, the
month with the lowest death toll. The 899 American troop
deaths in 2007 surpassed 2004 when 850 US soldiers were killed. The US military deaths are
dwarfed by Iraqi civilian casualties, although the fluctuations show the same
pattern. It is difficult to obtain accurate figures on civilian casualties
but the Associated Press said Iraqi civilian deaths peaked in May with 2,155
killed, falling to 718 in November and 710 in December. Over the year, 18,610 Iraqis
were killed. In 2006, the only other full year an AP count has been made,
13,813 civilians were killed. The civilian toll was
compiled by AP from hospital, police and military officials, as well as accounts
from reporters and photographers. Insurgent deaths were not included. Other
counts differ and some are much higher. The US military commander in
Iraq, General David Petraeus, yesterday used the more recent statistics to
give an upbeat assessment of the security situation in Iraq. Overall violence across the
country was down roughly 60% since June, he said, and the favourable security
situation would allow some US troops to return home during the coming year as
responsibilities were handed over to the Iraqi army. Petraeus also drew attention
to the significance of Sunni tribal leaders transferring allegiance to the
Iraqi government. In the western province of Anbar, and in Baghdad, coalition
of Iraqis known as Awakening Councils or Concerned Local Citizens groups that
receive US money and expertise have been joined by Sunni Arabs previously
opposed to the invasion. Their coalition in Anbar province, a Sunni
stronghold, now numbers 70,000 fighters. These Sunnis are threatened
by Osama bin Laden in a video released on Saturday that is the fifth message
attributed to him in 2007. Bin Laden warned Sunni Arabs
who had joined the US initiatives that they had "betrayed the nation and
brought disgrace and shame to their people. They will suffer in life and the
afterlife." Along with the increase in
American troops, Iraq's lessening violence has been attributed to a freeze on
activities by the Mahdi Army, the militia of radical Shia cleric Muqtada
al-Sadr. British military casualties
were also higher in 2007 than 2006. According to Ministry of Defence
statistics released at the end of November, 46 soldiers had died in 2007
compared with 29 the year before. Like America, the first half
of the year was worse for British forces than the second half. Of the 46
deaths in total for 2007, 29 were in the first six months of the year as
opposed to 17 in the second half. Unlike the American figures,
UK military deaths in 2004 were the lowest since the beginning of British
operations in Iraq, known as Operation Telic, in March 2003. In total, 174 British
personnel have died in Operation Telic. Guardian Unlimited ©
Guardian News and Media Limited 2008 External link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2233698,00.html |