American Casualties are high (nevermind Iraqi Casualties)

I love how there is not even one mention of Iraqi casualties in this entire article
The number of U.S troops wounded in Iraq has surged to its highest monthly level in nearly two years as American GIs fight block-by-block in Baghdad to try to check a spiral of sectarian violence that U.S. commanders warn could lead to civil war.
Last month, 776 U.S. troops were wounded in action in Iraq, the highest number since the military assault to retake the insurgent-held city of Fallujah in November 2004, according to Defense Department data. It was the fourth-highest monthly total since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
The sharp increase in American wounded -- with nearly 300 more in the first week of October -- is a grim measure of the degree to which the U.S. military has been thrust into the lead of the effort to stave off full-scale civil war in Iraq, military officials and experts say. Beyond Baghdad, Marines battling Sunni insurgents in Iraq's western province of Anbar last month also suffered their highest number of wounded in action since late 2004.
More than 20,000 U.S. troops have been wounded in combat in the Iraq war, and about half have returned to duty. While much media reporting has focused on the more than 2,700 killed, military experts say the number of wounded is a more accurate gauge of the fierceness of fighting because advances in armor and medical care today allow many service members to survive who would have perished in past wars. The ratio of wounded to killed among U.S. forces in Iraq is about 8 to 1, compared with 3 to 1 in Vietnam.
Washington Post








10 Comments:
This is "Sectarian Violence," which has nothing to do with political or power alignments, turf, surf, power or dominion, and perks at the trough, eh?. It must be religious fanatics fighting each other over some difference and deference to, or with, God, eh?
It strikes me strange that, for years, these "vicious enemies" acted as if they did not even know each other existed and lived quite peaceably side by side for years, swapping sons and daughters off with one another for in-laws, until some foreign infidels invaded their country, started killing people, and recruiting some people to kill other people.
Although I am no Islamic scholar, I am a Muslim; I live among Muslims, my wife is one, and most of my closest friends are Muslims. But, I do not enjoy the fruits of an Islamic upbringing, and the intense Islamic education, training and indoctrination that they have benefited from since the age of about six. So, I do not know zip shit about the differences between Shi'ites and Sunnis. In fact, in many cases, it was I who had to answer their questions regarding the theology of the Wahabi, based upon my minimal knowledge and studies of what I could research, online and in the "press."
Strangely enough, I cannot get a complete and coherent answer or description of the differences between these sects from my wife, who has studied Islam and Islamic history for about thirty five years, although she is admittedly not a "scholar." I find it just as strange that none of my friends whom I ask, can provide any comprehensive answers, either.
Sunni? Shi'tes? Yeah, with the death of the Prophet, some believers followed the Prophet's traditions of prayer, and went to the mosque of his family; others followed the prayer and went to the mosque of Abu Bakar, and other teachers. It would appear that political differences and ambitions developed along these lines.
Are we Sunni, or Shi'ite?, I asked, wondering, if there were labels, what I was. "Well, I suppose we are Sunni, inasmuch as we follow the teaching of the Prophet and the law of the Qur'an. But, the others do too, you know. That's what makes us all Muslims." It appears the differences are not significant enough to warrant much thought, at least to the point of killing over them.
This Sunni-Shi'ite schism doesn't seem to be much of an issue... hardly worth labeling, at least in the part of Islam where I live.
Is my neighbor a Shi'ite or a Sunni? I'm afraid to ask, and I wonder if he would even know himself. I am not sure I know. What if we are enemies? Is the Mosque down at the corner a Shi'ite or Sunni Mosque? I am afraid to ask.
Suppose I went in and asked if they could issue me an old used but serviceable AK-47, and they asked for credentials, and I found out I was in the wrong Mosque? I'd be in deep shit, eh?
So? What is all this "secular" shit and shooting about out there in Iraq? Do you actually believe it is a bunch of Muslim-hating Muslims, shooting at another bunch of Muslim-hating Muslins, like they would like to have you believe? Anyone who does qualifies as one the middle-of-the-road, head-of-the-line ignoramuses of the Great Ignorant American Masses.
Or could all of this "sectarian dissent" be the result of meddling by outside forces, and the distribution of large amounts of money and promises of power and political dominion over others which brings on all of this stuff?
So, why do Muslim-hating Muslins kill Muslim-hating Muslims? Why, only a few relative years ago, did European Christian-hating Christians kill Christian-hating Christians? Over God, Power, Dominion, or money?
Only the Shadow knows what evil lurks in the heart of men.
We all start out ignorant. The fools stay that way! True Assholes make it a matter of choice!
It could be considered just as ignorant to believe in some conspiracy theory; that the US are secretly stoking this sectarian fire, for whatever devious reason.
Yeah Deano. And pigs could fly, if they just had wings.
Are you speaking here as an American, a Muslim, some other authority, or as just a plain born-again-ignorant believer in all you are told?
I've cited some facts and accounts here, and asked a number of questions. Can you respond intelligently, or just mouth smart-ass rejoinder?
Well, is this your only opinion? Or is there some meaningful point you wish to make.
Otherwise, there are more important ways for me to waste my time than with you and Deano...
All of these unfinished Solitaire games in this computer....
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Actually Mark - i think Sirius makes some very good points, and you do youself a disservice by attacking in two lines his post that is much more thought provoking than that.
Don't worry about Deano Sirius, he is still in denial about Operation Pheonix and doesn't believe that the Americans would create internal striff via counter-insurgency programs in Iraq (even though we know the Americans funded them and trained them) so that instead of fighting the Americans they are fighting one another. What the Americans haven't considered is that although the schisims of Islam hate eachother - they are starting to hate Americans more.
It is a pity the posters above have used this opportunity for points scoring. One would have hoped that a Muslim contributor would be seen as a welcome source of information rather than a target.
Sirius.
You say there is no schism in the Muslim World. This seems to go against the tide of Western opinion. Can you support this opinion? May we ask from which Muslim society your information is drawn?
The Human face of Islam.
http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusgen/ap10-10-100358.asp?t=apnew&vts=101020061022#body
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I agree with compadre and would be interested in the answers to some of the questions he poses
An Iraqi sunni friend of mine from the gym, swears blind that not only do Jews control everything, but that the Shi'ites are closely linked to them also, that there is actually a covert conspiracy between the two...he firmly believes that all the anti Israel Iranian rhetoric is merely a facade. As part of his evidence he notes that the current president of Israel is Iranian born and speaks fluent Farsi...
Re Compadre:
Differences, yes; but not what I would consider a schism, to the extent that people would kill over the differences. Do Methodists kill Presbyterians? Catholics kill Episcopalians?
I think not. They marry into ech others families, much like peaceful Sunni and Shi'ites. Behind all the bullshit, take a look at the Real Estate and the resources involved and you might see the connections.
Politics makes strange bedfellows; they will use any ruse to cover and hide their clandestine activities from public scrutiny.
With almost total control of the media (hoorah for media such as this, Tks, Bomber) they can design their own bedcovers!
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