Friday, July 13, 2007
Report on American War Dead
Bloody month again for American troops during the 30 day period June 4, 2007 to July 3, 2007 as reported by the Department of Defense in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Here's the breakdown.
In Afghanistan five were killed in a helicopter crash (probably shot down) and four were killed from small arms fire including RPGs. So a real war is still going on there. Still waiting for the Taliban to come out and fight like men in a big way. Two Americans were killed by IEDs. Hope that number doesn't go up. And a light colonel died under mysterious circumstances. The total was 12.
It was much worse in Iraq. 88, mother of God, 88 people were killed by IEDs. 21 were killed by small arms again including RPGs. Only four were killed in combat operations in al Anbar, so the pacification of that large province is for real as marines killed in combat operations in al Anbar used to give IEDs a run for the money and have at least low 20s on this list. This is excellent news (especially since my cousin is going over there in a matter of months). Only one was killed in an accident (a major who crashed his jet). Four died of non combat incidents and one from a non combat illness. One died from indirect fire and one, a light colonel, by chance, died under mysterious circumstances. We lost, in addition to the colonels, a couple of majors, a captain and a 1st Lt. Only one woman I could identify, Sgt. Trista Moetti, died from an IED.
So the total for Iraq was 122 and the grand total was 134. Not much better, or worse, than the last few months, but for al Anbar, but if we could solve the IED problem, the combat deaths would sink to near utter insignificance. Since I look on the IED as a stand off proxy for stand up fighting, I don't see this as an increasing struggle although the next few months will be more instructive.
In Afghanistan five were killed in a helicopter crash (probably shot down) and four were killed from small arms fire including RPGs. So a real war is still going on there. Still waiting for the Taliban to come out and fight like men in a big way. Two Americans were killed by IEDs. Hope that number doesn't go up. And a light colonel died under mysterious circumstances. The total was 12.
It was much worse in Iraq. 88, mother of God, 88 people were killed by IEDs. 21 were killed by small arms again including RPGs. Only four were killed in combat operations in al Anbar, so the pacification of that large province is for real as marines killed in combat operations in al Anbar used to give IEDs a run for the money and have at least low 20s on this list. This is excellent news (especially since my cousin is going over there in a matter of months). Only one was killed in an accident (a major who crashed his jet). Four died of non combat incidents and one from a non combat illness. One died from indirect fire and one, a light colonel, by chance, died under mysterious circumstances. We lost, in addition to the colonels, a couple of majors, a captain and a 1st Lt. Only one woman I could identify, Sgt. Trista Moetti, died from an IED.
So the total for Iraq was 122 and the grand total was 134. Not much better, or worse, than the last few months, but for al Anbar, but if we could solve the IED problem, the combat deaths would sink to near utter insignificance. Since I look on the IED as a stand off proxy for stand up fighting, I don't see this as an increasing struggle although the next few months will be more instructive.
Labels: Iraq; Afghanistan; American War Dead
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 4:57 PM 
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Among June's war dead, as reported by the July 3 Rocky Mountain News, on June 30th, Green Beret Staff Sgt. Robb Rolfing died of his woumnd from small arms fire in Baghdad. The 29 year old from Sioux Falls, S.D. graduated from Vassar College in 2000 with a degree in Astrophysics. He played soccer in college and after graduation coached soccer at various places including Curry College in Boston.
The article in the RMN concluded: "Robb Rolfing also had a sense of humor. Afew years ago, wehne he missed a friend's weddding because of his deployment, he sent a life-size cardboard standup photograph of himself. His friends still display the 'cardboard" at Fourth of July parties."
I am certain the party was pretty somber this year.
The article in the RMN concluded: "Robb Rolfing also had a sense of humor. Afew years ago, wehne he missed a friend's weddding because of his deployment, he sent a life-size cardboard standup photograph of himself. His friends still display the 'cardboard" at Fourth of July parties."
I am certain the party was pretty somber this year.
# posted by 
: 8:19 PM
: 8:19 PM
"although the next few months will be more instructive."
At the present rate of 200 million a day this will be an expensive lesson.
Just think, we could have avoided the war in Iraq and doubled the amount of money spent on cancer research. Thank God its our kids who will have to finance Iraq and not us.
At the present rate of 200 million a day this will be an expensive lesson.
Just think, we could have avoided the war in Iraq and doubled the amount of money spent on cancer research. Thank God its our kids who will have to finance Iraq and not us.
# posted by : 12:11 AM
: 12:11 AM
Good comment Tony. Somber indeed. Peter b stop with the posing as fiscally responsible. You and your ilk support the Ponzi scheme known as Social Security, payment out of which dwarfs our spending on the military and our very necessary war against radical Islam. The deficit has shrunk and will continue to as the economy continues its hard charge as a direct result of tax rate cuts. Our children paying for Iraq--you're just loopy and/or wholly misinformed.
Most of cancer, by the way, is caused by a retrovirus we probably catch from our mothers. All the pseudo causes--radiation, pollution, diet soda sweetner are merely things which effect our bodies' ability to keep the virus and the unfettered cells it causes from time to time in check. You heard it here first. Research for the virus is worthwhile, the rest is wasted money, but hey a worthy wasting not like trying to kill the middle east types who are trying to kill us and destroy our government--keep your head buried in the sand, my friend. It's cozy in the dark.
Most of cancer, by the way, is caused by a retrovirus we probably catch from our mothers. All the pseudo causes--radiation, pollution, diet soda sweetner are merely things which effect our bodies' ability to keep the virus and the unfettered cells it causes from time to time in check. You heard it here first. Research for the virus is worthwhile, the rest is wasted money, but hey a worthy wasting not like trying to kill the middle east types who are trying to kill us and destroy our government--keep your head buried in the sand, my friend. It's cozy in the dark.
Rog,
So long as we have drifted slightly OT, what is your opinion regarding whether HPV vaccine should be madatory? Given in schools the way we were given polio vaccine?
T
So long as we have drifted slightly OT, what is your opinion regarding whether HPV vaccine should be madatory? Given in schools the way we were given polio vaccine?
T
# posted by : 11:42 AM
: 11:42 AM
"The deficit has shrunk and will continue to as the economy continues its hard charge as a direct result of tax rate cuts. "
Yeah its down to 205 billion. One of the first things they teach you in economics 101 is that its pretty easy to have a decent economy when you're fighting a war. The second thing is that you don't cut taxes during a war. The real problem I have with your "ilk"
is that you're all in favor of this Iraq affair, but none of you are willing to have your kids fight in it and none of you are willing to pay for it. I guess that's why you continue to represent a smaller and smaller minority. And Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme"? And how about that floridation they're putting in our water? Thanks for reminding us where you're coming from. Less time listening to Rush and more time in the library.
Yeah its down to 205 billion. One of the first things they teach you in economics 101 is that its pretty easy to have a decent economy when you're fighting a war. The second thing is that you don't cut taxes during a war. The real problem I have with your "ilk"
is that you're all in favor of this Iraq affair, but none of you are willing to have your kids fight in it and none of you are willing to pay for it. I guess that's why you continue to represent a smaller and smaller minority. And Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme"? And how about that floridation they're putting in our water? Thanks for reminding us where you're coming from. Less time listening to Rush and more time in the library.
# posted by : 11:49 AM
: 11:49 AM
"Social Security is and always has been either a "pay-as-you-go" system or one that was partially advance-funded. Its structure, logic, and mode of operation have nothing in common with Ponzi schemes or chain letters or pyramid schemes.
The first modern social insurance program began in Germany in 1889 and has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years. The American Social Security system has been in continuous successful operation since 1935. Charles Ponzi's scheme lasted barely 200 days."
http://web.archive.org/web/20041001-20051231re_/http://www.ssa.gov/history/ponzi.html
see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme#What_is_and_is_not_a_Ponzi_scheme
The first modern social insurance program began in Germany in 1889 and has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years. The American Social Security system has been in continuous successful operation since 1935. Charles Ponzi's scheme lasted barely 200 days."
http://web.archive.org/web/20041001-20051231re_/http://www.ssa.gov/history/ponzi.html
see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme#What_is_and_is_not_a_Ponzi_scheme
# posted by : 12:28 PM
: 12:28 PM
Tony, I'd be for mandatory vaccination if there is no downside to the vaccine, or so little as to be not worth considering. I don't know enough about it to say. I'm for continued mandatory polio as it continues to exist in the tropics. Smallpox, on the other hand is plain old gone.
Peter b, my ill informed but google-able friend, I would support a program where our Fica taxes were allowed to earn money and were ours, but not the socialist hybrid SS is--when the ability of the SSA to pay benefits ends (and it will in even my lifetime) you're going to call it a sound fiscally responsible program. Right?
I have to ask you this question: Do you believe children are slaves of their parents? "but none of you are willing to have your kids fight in it" I'm sure a very high percentage of the parents of the 160,000 in Iraq right now support the war. I think most of us patriotic right thinking types are perfectly willing to have our kids fight in it, but the kids have the final say. Every so often you make a good point but your repeated meme that we chickenhawks are hypocrites as well is stupid and insulting. Indeed, it and some of your other idiocies make it difficult to agree with you on anything.
Peter b, my ill informed but google-able friend, I would support a program where our Fica taxes were allowed to earn money and were ours, but not the socialist hybrid SS is--when the ability of the SSA to pay benefits ends (and it will in even my lifetime) you're going to call it a sound fiscally responsible program. Right?
I have to ask you this question: Do you believe children are slaves of their parents? "but none of you are willing to have your kids fight in it" I'm sure a very high percentage of the parents of the 160,000 in Iraq right now support the war. I think most of us patriotic right thinking types are perfectly willing to have our kids fight in it, but the kids have the final say. Every so often you make a good point but your repeated meme that we chickenhawks are hypocrites as well is stupid and insulting. Indeed, it and some of your other idiocies make it difficult to agree with you on anything.
Then I*'m tentatively for it in female children who are not having sex as I hear that's the best way to have the vaccine work. Mandatory with more studies of long term results of vaccine. Double blind if that's not ethically wrong.
If I was a strong advocate of our present policy in Iraq, but my kids refused to voluntarily serve, I guess I'd be less enthusiastic about sending other somebody else's kids over there .
# posted by : 9:08 PM
: 9:08 PM
Peter b, that seems an emotional problem probably unique to you. I can't see an ounce of logic in it. If it's right, the fact my children disagree, doesn't make it wrong. Am I missing something?
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