U.S. Deaths in Iraq & Afghanistan Decline Dramatically in 2008

[Dayton3]

I was watching a FoxNews ticker yesterday.

It gave the final fatality figures for 2008 in the Iraq and Afghan conflicts.

It said that U.S. deaths in Iraq had dropped from 901 in 2007 to 308 in 2008.

Iraqi civilian deaths dropped by 60% as well.

In Afghanistan U.S. deaths increased from 101 in 2007 to 151 in 2008.

Combined the death toll dropped from 1002 in 2007 to 459 in 2008.

I might've made a slight error on a couple of the numbers (I couldn't remember if it was 901 or 908 for example).

This was the lowest death toll in the wars since 2003.

And that is worth celebrating.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

A blessing indeed, for all involved--that's the direction I'd like to see it keep going.

 

[Squiggy]

Misleading thread title (no shock) seeing as how deaths in Afghanistan increased 50% to become the deadliest year yet.

 

[FordSVT]

^Yeah, I noticed that, I think Dayton learned that from Fox News as well.

If A increases and B decreases, but A + B is decreased in total, it's still not fair to say they both decreased. It's a misrepresentation at best, a bald faced lie at worst.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The decrease in deaths in Iraq worth celebrating. The increase in Afghanistan is not. Still, less Americans dead is always good.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

^Yeah, I noticed that, I think Dayton learned that from Fox News as well.

If A increases and B decreases, but A + B is decreased in total, it's still not fair to say they both decreased. It's a misrepresentation at best, a bald faced lie at worst.

Do consider--as the situation in Iraq gets better, more resources will be available to deal with Afghanistan.

 

[Trippy]

1 death due to war is 1 death too many

 

[Dayton3]

1 death due to war is 1 death too many

Sometimes only war can end tyranny.

Ending some tyrannies is worth a million deaths.

 

[FordSVT]

^Yeah, I noticed that, I think Dayton learned that from Fox News as well.

If A increases and B decreases, but A + B is decreased in total, it's still not fair to say they both decreased. It's a misrepresentation at best, a bald faced lie at worst.

Do consider--as the situation in Iraq gets better, more resources will be available to deal with Afghanistan.

Sure, but that has absolutely nothing to do with this thread or what I was saying.

 

[Dayton3]

A couple of hundred U.S. fatalities per year in Afghanistan is pretty low and is pretty much infinitely sustainable.

And it gives the U.S. a chance to make sure vast numbers of the military have actual combat experience.

Which could serve us well in a future large scale conflict.

 

[scottydog]

A couple of hundred U.S. fatalities per year in Afghanistan is pretty low and is pretty much infinitely sustainable.

And it gives the U.S. a chance to make sure vast numbers of the military have actual combat experience.

Which could serve us well in a future large scale conflict.

I agree. Although it comes at such an awful cost, the fight against terrorism is necessary. Thank goodness we appear to be winning it in Iraq. And we desperately need Pakistan's help to begin winning it in Afganastan.

 

[Davros]

A couple of hundred U.S. fatalities per year in Afghanistan is pretty low and is pretty much infinitely sustainable.

And it gives the U.S. a chance to make sure vast numbers of the military have actual combat experience.

Which could serve us well in a future large scale conflict.

Since your life will never be one of those at risk, I can see you are not to concerned about those whose are.

I agree. Although it comes at such an awful cost, the fight against terrorism is necessary.

Terrorism is a tactic. It cannot be fought with a war.

Thank goodness we appear to be winning it in Iraq.

We won in Iraq over 5 years ago.

And we desperately need Pakistan's help to begin winning it in Afganastan.

The war in Afghanistan has been over for some time now as well.

 

[Squiggy]

A couple of hundred U.S. fatalities per year in Afghanistan is pretty low and is pretty much infinitely sustainable.

And it gives the U.S. a chance to make sure vast numbers of the military have actual combat experience.

Which could serve us well in a future large scale conflict.

When are you going?

 

[sidious618]

Misleading thread title (no shock) seeing as how deaths in Afghanistan increased 50% to become the deadliest year yet.

Yeah, I just saw that, too. I had a real WTF? moment when I looked at the thread.

 

[Dayton3]

Never.

But some 200,000 Americans CHOOSE to join the U.S. military every year knowing full well the possible risks.

Send the trained professionals who VOLUNTEERED to do the job.

 

[Davros]

Never.

But some 200,000 Americans CHOOSE to join the U.S. military every year knowing full well the possible risks.

Send the trained professionals who VOLUNTEERED to do the job.

They signed up to protect the United States. The occupation of Iraq has nothing at all to do with that end.

 

[Trippy]

1 death due to war is 1 death too many

Sometimes only war can end tyranny.

Ending some tyrannies is worth a million deaths.

When are you signing up?

Oh right...never

Again, one death is one death too many.

 

[Davros]

Why post this thread in here D? Are you afraid on TNZ since the elections?

 

[sidious618]

Never.

But some 200,000 Americans CHOOSE to join the U.S. military every year knowing full well the possible risks.

Send the trained professionals who VOLUNTEERED to do the job.

More often than not they were promised the world and given crap instead.

 

[Dayton3]

Why post this thread in here D? Are you afraid on TNZ since the elections?

I'm not allowed to post in TNZ.

As to the point, I doubt that anyone enlisting in the U.S. military is unaware of the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Better to fight enemies of the U.S. over there than over here.