US Military Death Toll at 4,106, TV News Scaling Back Coverage

After a month that had a decline in military deaths in Iraq, 22 soldiers have been killed in action so far in June. This trend is disturbing in that it reveals that Iraqis, beyond "the insurgency" are growing impatient with the US occupation, as exemplified by an Al-Madaen city council member who opened fire and killed two US soldiers who entered the council building.

In addition, with the US economy and natural disasters situations at home, news organizations are scaling back their coverage in Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the International Herald Tribune

According to data compiled by Andrew Tyndall, a television consultant who monitors the three network evening newscasts, coverage of Iraq has been "massively scaled back this year." Almost halfway into 2008, the three newscasts have shown 181 weekday minutes of Iraq coverage, compared with 1,157 minutes for all of 2007. The "CBS Evening News" has devoted the fewest minutes to Iraq, 51, versus 55 minutes on ABC's "World News" and 74 minutes on "NBC Nightly News." (The average evening newscast is 22 minutes long.)

CBS News no longer stations a single full-time correspondent in Iraq, where some 150,000 United States troops are deployed.

44 Americans KIA in Iraq in April

The AP Reports

Bombardments by suspected militants killed four U.S. soldiers Monday as troops tried to push Shiite fighters farther from the U.S.-protected Green Zone and out of range of their rockets and mortars.

At least 44 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in April, making it the deadliest month for U.S. forces since September.

The U.S. military said three soldiers were killed in eastern Baghdad by indirect fire, a reference to mortars or rockets. The statement did not give an exact location for the attack, but the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City has been the scene of intense fighting recently with Shiite militiamen.

A fourth U.S. soldier was killed by a shell in western Baghdad, the military said.

A showdown between the Iraqi government and the Mahdi Army — led by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr — has increasingly drawn U.S. forces into the battles. American commanders are particularly focused on trying to curb a rise in mortar and rocket attacks on the Green Zone.

Troops Home Now!

Despite the lack of attention being paid to the war in Iraq, at least 19 American troops have been killed in Iraq since last Sunday, making it the bloodiest week in Iraq this year. The death toll is now more than 4,030 since the US occupied the country in 2003, according to media count based on Pentagon figures.

Added to this, the Iraqi government has dismissed 1,300 of its soldiers and policemen who deserted or refused to fight during last month’s Shiite-on-Shiite battles in Basra.

The announcement followed the admission that more than 1,000 members of the security forces had laid down their weapons during the fight, which Prime Minister al-Maliki characterized as a campaign to restore law and order to Basra, a strategic and oil-rich southern city.

Three Soldiers KIA, 31 Injured in Iraq

From CNN

Three U.S. soldiers were killed and 31 others wounded in two rocket attacks Sunday afternoon in Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

Earlier Sunday, fighting between U.S. troops and the Mehdi Army militia loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr left at least 20 dead and 52 wounded in Baghdad's Sadr City, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official.

The U.S. military said it had no information about the Sadr City fighting.

Military KIA Reaches 4,000 in Iraq

The AP reports:

A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday,
the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year
warto at least 4,000.

The grim milestone came on the same day that rockets and mortars pounded the
U.S.-protected Green Zone, underscoring the fragile security situation and the
resilience of both Sunni and Shiite extremist groups despite an overall lull in
violence.

A Multi-National Division -- Baghdad soldier also was wounded in the roadside
bombing, which struck the soldiers' patrol vehicle about 10 p.m. in southern
Baghdad, according to a statement.

Identities of those killed were withheld pending notification of relatives.

Navy Lt. Patrick Evans, a military spokesman, expressed condolences to all the
families who have lost a loved one in Iraq, saying each death is ''equally
tragic.''

''There have been some significant gains. However, this enemy is resilient and
will not give up, nor will we,'' he said. ''There's still a lot of work to be
done.''

The 4,000 figure is according to an Associated Press count that includes eight
civilians who worked for the Department of Defense.

Last year, the U.S. military deaths spiked along with the Pentagon's ''surge''
-- the arrival of more than 30,000 extra troops trying to regain control of
Baghdad and surrounding areas. The mission was generally considered a success,
but the cost was evident as soldiers pushed into Sunni insurgent strongholds and
challenged Shiite militias.

Military deaths rose above 100 for three consecutive months for the first time
during the war: April 2007, 104; May, 126 and June at 101.

The death toll has seesawed since, with 2007 ending as the deadliest year for
American troops at 901 deaths. That was 51 more deaths than 2004, the second
deadliest year for U.S. soldiers.

Death (Comparisons) Be Not Proud

A story that is widely circulating points out that there were more military deaths during the Clinton Administration than during the war in Iraq. Numbers don't lie, right? Well, it ain't necessarily so.

According to a CRS report to Congress from June 2007, during the 8 years of the Clinton Administration (including peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo and Somalia), the were 76 military personnel that died in battle or by terrorist attack, compared to 2,651 that had been KIA or by terrorist attack from 2001 to 2006 during the Bush administration during which we have been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It is true that 7500 soldiers died from 1993-2000 (Clinton's 8 year administration), but 8792 have died in 6 years from 2001-2006 of G.W. Bush's. The important distinction is cause of death.

Many military personnel die in accidents, illness, homicide, and suicide and in the case of Clinton's administration, 1% were killed in action/terrorist attack, 52% died in accidents, 20% committed suicide, 6% by homicide, and 19% died by illness.

In the Bush years through 2006, 30% were killed in action/terrorist attack, 36% in accidents, 11% committed suicide, 6% by homicide, and 15% by illness.

Five US Troops KIA in Baghdad by Suicide Bomber

Five US soldiers have been killed by a suicide bomb attack while they patrolled in Baghdad, the US army said. The suicide bomber approached the patrol on a Baghdad street and blew himself up, Iraqi police told Reuters.

Three other troops and an Iraqi interpreter were also injured in the attack, the US military said.

The attack follows the killing of Thaer Ghadban al-Karkhi, a Sunni tribal leader, in a suicide bomb attack on his house near Baquba earlier on Monday.

The US military told the BBC that the attack on its troops took place in the Mansour district of Baghdad.

In other Iraq War news: US envoy to Iraq, Ryan Crocker intends to retire in early January of 2009 and leave the post he has served since March of last year.

I am prepared to remain in Baghdad until early 2009, when I intend to retire," Mr Crocker told the Washington Post.

"That will make two years in Iraq and 37 years in the Foreign Service - it's enough!"

Gen David Petraeus is also expected to leave Iraq on a scheduled rotation of duties just before Mr Crocker has said he will retire.

Five Soldiers KIA in Iraq

From CNN

A roadside bombing killed five U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq on Monday, the U.S. military confirmed.

Fighters opposing al Qaeda in Iraq guard the entrance to a village Monday in Diyala province.

The military released no further details on the incident, which took place in Nineveh province.

U.S. and Iraqi forces are carrying out Operation Iron Harvest, an offensive to root out insurgents, in the northern Iraqi provinces of Nineveh, Diyala, Tameem and Salaheddin.

22 Soldiers KIA in Iraq in January

CNN reports that another three U.S. soldiers from Multi-National Division-North were killed by small arms fire on Wednesday, the U.S. military said. Two other soldiers were wounded in the incident, according to the military.

The deaths put the number of U.S. military personnel to die in the Iraq war at 3,926. The total for January is 22 -- 16 of whom were from Multi-National Division-North, the military said.

More Casualties in Iraq

The Gulf News reports:

Nine American soldiers were killed in the first two days of a new offensive to root out Al Qaida in Iraq, the US military reported.

The campaign's scope is focused on gaining control of Diyala and its city of Baqouba, which Al Qaida has declared as its capital.
Six US soldiers were killed and four were wounded Wednesday in a booby-trapped house in Diyala, while three soldiers were killed in an attack in Salahuddin, north of Diyala.

When asked about the deaths, US Major General Mark Hertling blamed it on failing operational security in Iraq. "I'm sure there is active leaking of communication," he said.

The latest deaths bring the total number of American soldiers killed since the 2003 US-led invasion to 3,921, according to an AFP tally based on independent website www.icasualties.org figures.

Meanwhile Back in Iraq

Three US soldiers have been killed in Iraq, the US military announced on Thursday, making them the first American casualties of the new year.

A military statement said two soldiers were killed in a small-arms fire attack while conducting operations in Diyala province on Thursday. Another soldier was wounded.

A separate statement said another soldier was killed when his foot patrol was struck by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad on Wednesday.

The latest deaths bring the total number of American soldiers killed since the 2003 US-led invasion to 3,905, according to an AFP tally based on Pentagon figures.

The month of December saw the second lowest monthly US casualty toll of the war, with 21 soldiers killed.

The year 2007, however, proved the deadliest year for the US military since the invasion, with at least 896 soldiers killed.

Military Cemetery: No Vacancy

Reuters reports - A Kansas military cemetery has run out of space after the burial of another casualty of the Iraq war, officials said on Thursday.

"We are full," said Alison Kohler, spokeswoman for the Fort Riley U.S. Army post, home of the 1st Infantry Division.

Since the 2003 beginning of the war in Iraq, Fort Riley has lost 133 soldiers and airmen, though not all are buried in the Fort Riley cemetery. Sgt Joel Murray, who died September 4 in Iraq, took the last available plot, said Kohler.

Fort Riley can bury bodies on top of other bodies if family members want to share a plot, said Kohler.

9 US Troops Killed

While General Petraeus discussed war progress, 9 more US troops were killed in Iraq. In Iowa related terms, the number of troops killed is equal to the approximate population of Monticello (3,771).

Seven soldiers were killed in a transport accident in western Baghdad, as well as two detainees. 11 additional troops were injured.

Another soldier was killed when his vehicle overturned and caught fire east of Baghdad on Monday, the military announced. Another died from injuries sustained from rocket fire in the northern city of Kirkuk while on patrol on Sunday.

How Many More?

Insurgents killed seven American servicemen in two separate attacks in Iraq on Thursday, US military officials have said.

Four marines were killed while conducting combat operations in the western province of Anbar. No further details were given.

Three soldiers were killed in the northern province of Nineveh, when their vehicle was caught in a blast.

Eighteen US servicemen have died in operations in Iraq this month.

Levels of violence in the vast, predominantly Sunni province of Anbar had dropped recently. President Bush visited Anbar on Monday and praised the improved security there.

The latest casualties mean more than 3,750 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the start of the US-led invasion in 2003.

Blawkhawk Down: 14 Killed

Fourteen U.S. soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in northern Iraq on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, in one of the worst incidents of its kind in the four-year war.

Here is a chronology of the deadliest days for U.S. forces since the start of the conflict.

March 23, 2003 - On the third day of the war, 28 U.S. soldiers are killed, mostly in fierce fighting in southern Iraq.

-- November 2 - Chinook helicopter is shot down near Falluja. Sixteen U.S. troops killed and 21 others on board hurt.

-- November 15 - Two Black Hawk helicopters collide under fire in Mosul, killing 17 soldiers.

December 21, 2004 - Suicide bomber in Iraqi uniform walks into mess tent at Mosul and kills 21 people, 18 of them Americans, including 14 U.S. troops.

January 26, 2005 - U.S. Marine transport helicopter ferrying troops comes down in western desert, killing 31 aboard. Six more are killed in insurgent attacks.

-- August 3 - Fourteen Marines are killed in a roadside bomb blast on an amphibious assault vehicle near Haditha, northwest of Baghdad. A civilian interpreter is also killed.

-- December 1 - Ten U.S. Marines are killed near Falluja in an insurgent bombing. Another is killed in Ramadi.

January 5, 2006 - Eleven U.S. soldiers are killed in separate incidents, the worst of which is the deaths of five in Baghdad when a roadside bomb hits their patrol.

-- January 7 - Eighteen U.S. soldiers are killed, 12 of whom die when a Blackhawk helicopter comes down near the town of Tal Afar near Mosul, 390 km north of Baghdad.

-- August 27 - Twelve U.S. soldiers are killed in total, mostly in Baghdad.

-- October 17 - Eleven U.S. soldiers are killed in separate incidents around Iraq.

-- December 6 - Ten U.S. soldiers are killed in four incidents around Iraq, some killed by roadside bombs and others in combat.

January 20, 2007 - A U.S. military helicopter goes down northeast of Baghdad, killing 12 people aboard. More soldiers are killed in clashes and roadside bombs. Twenty-five are killed in total.

-- February 7 - All seven crew members and passengers aboard a U.S. Marine transport helicopter are killed when their aircraft crashes in Anbar province. Another four die in other incidents.

-- May 6 - Ten U.S. soldiers are killed in separate incidents around Iraq.

-- June 23 - Eleven U.S. soldiers killed in separate incidents.

-- Aug 22 - A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with four crew and 10 passengers crashes in northern Iraq. All aboard are killed. The military says first indications are that mechanical failure is to blame and there is no evidence of hostile fire.

Army Suicides at 26 Year High

Army's suicide rate at 26-year high
Report says about a quarter occurred during war service

By Pauline Jelinek, Associated Press August 16, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a military report.

The report, obtained by the Associated Press ahead of its scheduled release today, found there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers in 2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest since 102 suicides in 1991.

In a service of more than a half million soldiers, the 99 suicides amounted to a rate of 17.3 per 100,000 -- the highest in the past 26 years, the report said. The average rate over those years has been 12.3 per 100,000.

The suicide rate for those serving in the wars stayed about the same, 19.4 per 100,000 in 2006, compared with 19.9 in 2005.

"Iraq was the most common deployment location for both [suicides] and attempts," the report said.

The 99 suicides included 28 soldiers deployed to the two wars and 71 who weren't. About twice as many women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan committed suicide as did women not sent to war, the report said.

Preliminary numbers for the first half of this year indicate the number of suicides could decline across the service this year but increase among troops serving in the wars, officials said.

The increases for 2006 occurred as Army officials worked to set up new and stronger programs for providing mental health care to a force strained by the prolonged war in Iraq and global counterterrorism war, which is entering its sixth year.

Failed personal relationships, legal and financial problems, and the stress of their jobs were factors motivating the soldiers to commit suicide, according to the report. Related Story

3,664--How Many More?

Four U.S. soldiers were killed in Baghdad on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 15 so far this week.

A roadside bomb blast killed three U.S. soldiers and wounded 11 others on patrol in eastern Baghdad. Another soldier died and three were wounded in combat in western Baghdad, the U.S. military said Friday.

The number of U.S. troop deaths rose to 3,664.

The Story: US Troop Deaths Decrease

The story that is blazing headlines is that US troop fatalities are decreasing compared to last month. However, compared to a year ago in July, troop deaths are actually increasing. Whereas in 2006 48 US troops were killed, 78 troops were killed this year in July. In addition, at least 1,653 civilians were killed in July, the Iraqi Interior Ministry told CNN on Tuesday. The number had dipped to 1,227 last month.

Stats Quo

In a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted over the weekend, 42 percent of Americans said that looking back, taking military action in Iraq was the right thing to do, while 51 percent said the United States should have stayed out of Iraq.

But two-thirds of those polled said the United States should reduce its forces in Iraq, or remove them altogether. Support for the invasion had been at an all-time low in May, when only 35 percent of Americans said the invasion of Iraq was the right thing and 61 percent said the United States should have stayed out. The latest poll made clear that a two-thirds majority of Americans continue to say the war is going badly.

However, the number of people who say the war is going “very badly” has fallen from 45 percent earlier in July to a current reading of 35 percent, and of those who say it is going well, 29 percent now describe it as “somewhat well” compared with 23 percent just last week.

Another Statistic - Number of American troops killed through today: 3636

TROOPS DEATH TOLL: 3568

As of yesterday, at least 3,568 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians.