turnagainarm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3636340.stm

US death toll in Iraq tops 1,000


The US is losing soldiers at an average of 2.25 a day
The American military death toll in Iraq has reached 1,000 since March 2003 when US forces invaded, the Pentagon says.
The stark milestone follows a recent surge in fighting and attacks, with more than a dozen US soldiers killed in the last two days alone.

Correspondents say the casualty figures re-open the debate over President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq, ahead of the November election.

Meanwhile, violence has continued in Baghdad's Sadr City and Falluja.

US forces resumed air strikes against targets in Falluja on Wednesday, with the fighter planes pounding the industrial zone. Two people are reported killed.

About 100 insurgents were killed in the restive town on Tuesday with US marines saying they used air strikes and artillery fire in response to a bomb attack on Monday that killed seven marines and three Iraqi soldiers.

We remember, honour and mourn the loss of all those that made the ultimate sacrifice defending freedom

Scott McClellan
White House spokesman
Also on Tuesday, about 40 Iraqis were killed as US forces fought Shia insurgents in a Baghdad stronghold of rebel cleric Moqtada Sadr, health officials said.

Two Italian aid workers and two Iraqis were also kidnapped from their Baghdad offices in broad daylight.

The Pentagon announced late on Tuesday there had been 1,001 military casualties since US-led forces moved in to Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein 18 months ago.

Another US soldier died overnight, bringing the total number to at least 1,002.

He was killed in an attack on a military convoy north of Baghdad.


The landmark of 1,000 dead reignites the Iraq war debate
Of the total number killed, three were civilian contractors. The number of wounded had reached 7,000.

All but 140 of the deaths have come since 1 May 2003, when US President George W Bush declared an end to major combat operations under a banner reading "Mission Accomplished". About three quarters have been in combat situations.

There are no official figures for the number of Iraqi civilians killed in the same period. A group called the Iraq Body Count (IBC) believes the number exceeds 11,000.

'Tragic milestone'

The White House paid tribute to those who had lost their lives.

"We remember, honour and mourn the loss of all those that made the ultimate sacrifice defending freedom," said US presidential spokesman Scott McClellan.

He added that the best way to honour them was to continue waging the war on terror to make "the world a safer place and make America more secure".

US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry called it a "tragic milestone" and said Americans would always remember their fallen heroes.

"Their sacrifice will not be in vain. We are committed to making the right decisions in Iraq and the right decisions for them here at home," he said.

Nisaar

Corporation controlled America will see this as a small price to pay for the tons of oil in Iraq.
I dont think our oil baron Georgy or even Kerry would care any more for an American soldier than they would a muslim terrorist.
This is all about oil.

Sad loss of life on both sides

__________________
"It is a little knowledge of science that makes you an Atheist, and it is an in-depth study of science that makes you a believer in God Almighty". [Sir Francis]

Confed999

Oil is one of the reasons, yes, but this is hardly "all" about oil.

__________________
No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

Jay

Exactly, if its all about Oil, US wudve invaded Venezuela or Saudi Arabia.

__________________
A grain of wheat eclipsed the sun of Adam !!

Asim Aquil

Moore tells us Sauds are in on it too.

Jay

Thats why Moore is a film maker a good conspiracy story maker!

Ray

Sure Oil is a part ot the issue. But Iraqi Oil is just a small part of it.

The strategic vista encompasses interests beyond Iraq.

Apart from the Middle East, the US interest extends up north.

In the Middle East, excepting for Jordan, others are pussyfooting. (Note the interest in Syria and Iran). A regime change will come one day. Egypt is already chums.

Already the frontiers have been pushed East in Europe. The Baku oil pipeline is still not under US direct sphere of influence in a concrete form. A move to enlarge the 'sphere of influence' right up to Chechnya and to the East CAR bordering China is of paramount importance for the US in the 2020s. In fact, sooner the better.

Obviously and inimical Iraq does not suit the game plan since Turkey is not adequate as a strategic 'launch pad'.

Likewise, is the US interest in Afghanistan. What difference does it make to the USA if Talibans killed every other bloke. It interested them owing to Osman bin Dustbin (hope no one is offended) and to have a 'friendly' regime installed so that further influence up north can be slowly organised! Also in the bargain, they have Pakistan in the bag so long as Musharraf remains and so issue of Mushrraf relinquishing his post as the Chief of the Army is to the US a non issue.

In short, the aim is to tighten the noose against Russia (who can one day regain her posture, who knows) and slowly edge on towards China.

Just a thought.

__________________


"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

HAKUNA MATATA

Nisaar

Then why does America cry blue murder when the pipelines are burst?

Nisaar

The Saudi family Worships the Bushs and vice versa. And Moore is not the first one to point this out.

Ray

Nissar,

The oil supply being interrupted pushes up the oil prices and it skews the economy the world over, especially the US, which is the most 'oil hungry' nation in the world.

That is why not only the US but others too cry blue murder I reckon.

Ray

The Saudi Royal family are vermins and parasites.

One Saudi in hand is better than two Bushes on the Ranch .

Confed999

Who has to fix them? Iraq is getting the money from the oil, not the US. If all it was about was oil, the sanctions would have just been dropped.

Nisaar

I hate those guys too


Hee hee. cool one. I'm definetly gonna write this one down

Nisaar

Man!, you absolutely right. I was also thinking along those lines. Russia ,India and China are all future world superpowers and it would be in Americas interests to establish a presence there.
Do you think American aggression will result in their eventual attack of these the countries?


Please America, colonize space, not the East.

Nisaar

Just curious:

I was just wondering why the world oil prices are pushed up if Iraqi oil pipelines are burst considering that the world doesnt get oil from Iraq?

I never really understood how these stockmarkets worked.