In 2003, 361 people were murdered in Detroit. Earlier this year, there was some alarm that the rate had increased at a dramatic 50%, which could lead Detroit to have its highest murder count since 1994 (another Bush accomplishment, by the way!); estimates, given the trend, are at 500 for the year. So let's go with that number. Let's say there are 500 murders in Detroit this year.
Currently, 432 coailtion troops have been killed in hostile fire this year in Iraq. Let's subtract all coalition casualties (39), even though some of these were nonhostile, just for the sake of argument. We're left with 393 American troops killed by hostile fire in Iraq since January 1. Now let's do the math, taking into account the variant populations of US troops in Iraq, which we'll hold at a steady 140,000 (we're not even distinguishing between those in high combat and low combat areas, by the way), and the population of Detroit, at 951,270.
So:
393/140,000 = X/951,270
X = 2670
So, in order for Detroit to be more dangerous for Americans than Iraq, its murder rate - even after the dramatic increase to 500 in the year - would have to increase 5 times. And we're even lowballing the Iraq KIA rate and highballing the Detroit homicide rate! Oh, yeah, and it is only August. Whatever hostile deaths occur between now and the end of December in Iraq will only increase this proportion. It seems to me that the comparison is pretty much worthless, unless you want to indicate that even the most dangerous cities in America, even experiencing a dramatic rise in its crime rate (thanks for the tax cuts and unemployment, "Presidenmt" Bush!), are 5, 6, or 7 times safer than being a US troop in Iraq. If that's the point, then I agree!
Perspective, indeed!
SOURCES
Detroit Population:
http://detroit.areaconnect.com/statistics.htmDetroit Murder Rate Figures:
http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0404/08/a02-116786.htmHostile and Non-Hostile Coalition Deaths in Iraq
http://icasualties.org/oif/Timelines.aspxTotal Coalition Casualties, by Month:
http://icasualties.org/oif/Basic Mathematics:
6th Grade, New York City Public School