How many Americans have REALLY died in Iraq?

Trebor Chram

Today, we read in the news, “An estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the 2003 US-led invasion” which is a much much higher figure than the 30,000 reported by Mr. Bush and much higher than the figure of 49,000 reported by Iraq Body Count and much higher then other conservative estimates of 100,000 and 200,000.

This new figure, which ranges as high as 750,000 dead compares the death rate during the Saddam regime to the death rate in the past three years under the Bush regime.

It is possible that “only” 100,000 Iraqis died violently in the past three years, however, another 500,000 or so died a premature death due to illnesses caused by new unsanitary conditions and lack of medical services since the Bush invasion. Before the invasion, Iraq was known to have the best medical services throughout the Middle East. It is no wonder that the Iraqis wish they had Saddam back.

All of this made me wonder about the American casualty figures made public by Mr.
Rumsfeld’s Pentagon. Since this administration is mired in secrecy, I wonder how big a lie this figure is.

It is no secret that this war has been unpopular since the beginning and because of this the Bush Administration has probably manipulated the casualty figures to keep it lower. The higher the casualty figures, the higher the voices from American to withdraw from this illegitimate war.

Since the U.S. suffered over 20,000 more military dead during Vietnam War than previously reported by the Pentagon, I wonder what the real figure is at this time.

The U.S. Veteran Dispatch had uncovered Pentagon records revealing that the United States suffered nearly 20,000 more fatalities during the Vietnam War era than the 58,182 servicemen whose names are engraved on the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

According to a U.S. Army file called TAGCEN which contains over 293,000 Army casualty records, there are 19,644 U.S. Army servicemen who were killed or died between January 1, 1965 and December 31, 1975 that are not counted as Vietnam war dead because their death certificates were written in other countries, including the United States.

I have read a report that reads: “The actual death toll is in excess of 10,000. (See the official records at the end of this piece.) Given the officially acknowledged number of over 15,000 seriously wounded (and a published total of 25,000 wounded overall,), this elevated death toll is far more realistic than the current 2,700+ now being officially published.”

So, Mr. Rumsfeld, when are you going to tell us that possibly over 9,000 more American soldiers have perished in this war and they are not being honored as such for giving their lives for the USA?