What will the final Iraq War death toll be for the US?

[bluestateguy]

Imagine at some time in the undetermined future you are in Washington D.C. visiting the Iraq War memorial. It is full of all of the names of US troops killed in the war.

How many names do you think will be on that wall?

[Rockerdem]

1. About 8-9000

After that, the fundie trailer trash begins to realize that its a big number, and reconsider.

[anitar1]

2. With his plans for other invasions

I would say it will take a lot more than 10,000.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. The Iraq War (tm) has hardly begun

It will drag on for years. It is the quagmire they deny it to be.

[parasim]

4. Well, considering that the Iraq war has surpassed the Vietnam war...

...in terms of casualties at similar stages of the war a long time ago ( http://www.veteransforpeace.org/US_War_Dead_111403.htm ), I think your 10,000 figure might be a tad optimistic. Remember that the 80% voter turnout for the election in South Vietnam (which took place before the Tet Offensive) was also considered a "success".

on edit... another reminder... 58,000 soldiers died in the Vietnam War.

[bixente]

5. Impossible to say, for me.

I know some say this will be an 'endless war,' and if that is the case, final casualty reports is impossible to predict.

But, I am more concerned about final casualty reports for the Iraqis - they are the real victims, IMO.

It is sad to see people put higher value on US casualties, than Iraqi casualties. Every human life is equal.

[purduejake]

6. Is there any official tally for the number of...

missing limbs and/or digits? Of US soldiers of course, since they're the only casualties we (as a country) count.

[left is right]

7. I think I remember

reading from somewhere on line that the neocons predicted the tipping point to be 35000 causalities. That it would take that many wounded or dead before the American people would fully turn away from the war. I thought it was an incredibly cynical point of view.

[Poppyseedman]

8. ...tipping point to be 35000 causalities???

Wow, that is some serious miscalculations on their part.

I think the number is more that 5000 combat causalities.

I thought neocons were smart people.

[seventythree]

9. I'll be dead

by the time the thing is over