Media hiding true cost of Iraq war by reporting only US soldiers killed.

[quilp]

According to the new NPR program Day to Day the number of US soldiers wounded is in the thousands. I think this came from Mike Kinsley of Slate magazine. In many previous wars many of these wounded men would have also died. So when these Republicans repeat the mantra that by previous standards the numbers killed in this war are "light", they should be called on it. We should insist on talking about the number of casualties. By this measure the cost of this war is getting very high.

[classics]

1. Good point, many may come back wishing they died.

There are usually a good number more seriously wounded than killed, so are we looking at numbers in the 5000s?

[quilp]

5. I think Kinsley said the number was over 4000.

Very few were due to "sickness". He had difficulty in getting a true account. If this becomes an issue it will be "classified" in a hurry.

[ima_sinnic]

2. and mental health problems are another consideration

--even if no physical injuries--stress, trauma, constant violence, seeing your buddies' blood and guts, etc. etc. do take a toll and leave deep lasting scars.

[Braden]

3. indeed

have you ever met a veteran who has been shot in combat? Many can never can totally recover from that. Many function just fine but to make it seem as if they were just scratched up in little fight is really obscene.

[tom_paine]

4. Of course it is

This ain't your father's America.

For one brief and shining period, journalistic ethic were enshrined and the "yellow Journalism" practices abated somewhat (notice I didn't say disappeared).

But that was long ago, and in a whole other country than where we live today. Those days are over and our "journalists" would feel more at home with the Hearst Newspapers of the 1920s that with Walter Cronkite.

[asjr]

7. media

There are some real journalists left. We hear from them via internet mostly. Those who sit at "anchor" desks and read teleprompters have abdicated the lessons of truth. In my dreams I put on my tinfoil hat and raid those environs and personally arrest all of them, handcuff them, and lead them off to jail. I have done that many times with this administration. Too bad it is only a dream. Until the media tells the truth, we have a long way to go. In the last couple of weeks we have seen some of them bringing up certain things, but then they let it ride and hope we will not notice. Well, I could go on and on but all of you know exactly what I mean. I think we should back a DUer for president.

[catmandu57]

6. Attrition

This why I believe we will be seeing the silent call up of whatever reserves we may have. The number of active service personal I've heard has varied from 150,000 to 145,000. As this number is whittled away fresh troops have to take their place, and, unless we can hire mercanaries, americans will have to replace americans in an unjust illeagal war.

[tom_paine]

8. Perhaps the Hessians are available, freddie

The last King George to rule Amerika paid 7 Pounds Sterling a Head.

Can this King George get as good a price on Cannon Fodder?

[ShaneGR]

9. About now, it should be around 1500-2000.

According to my tracking, which isn't very reliable but I try.