Exclusive: Petraeus' Sectarian Death Count Methodology

[RamboLiberal]

MNF-I's methodology identifies a number of factors, necessarily subjective, that help analysts determine whether an attack or a death should be considered sectarian. Ethno-sectarian violence is defined as violence "conducted by one ethnic/religious group against another ethnic/religious group, where the primary motivation for the event is based on ethnic or religious reasons." MNF-I analysts consider the location of the attack -- whether it took place in a mixed area or a homogeneous one -- and the type of attack in order to determine ethnic or sectarian violence.

Interestingly, attacks against "same-sect civilians," U.S. forces, the Iraqi government or Iraqi security forces "are excluded and not defined as sectarian attacks." So even though Sunni insurgent groups loathe the Shiite-controlled government, insurgent attacks on it aren't considered sectarian violence.

Additionally, MNF-I calculates that the use of suicide vests, car bombs and IEDs strongly indicate Sunni perpetrators; and reasons that attacks using those methods on "medical centers, market places or religious symbols, mosques, religious gatherings, stores/restaurants, and housing areas" typically indicate sectarian violence, since those entities are primarily used by "one ethnic/sectarian group." MNF-I acknowledges that in these attacks "there may have been Sunnis killed or injured," and though it says it excludes "same-sect civilians" from the tally, these are counted as sectarian attacks.

For executions, murders and kidnappings -- situations in which sectarianism may be difficult to determine -- MNF-I says it uses "host nation" reporting in addition to its own. Many media and non-governmental organizations consider information on casualties released by the Iraqi ministries to be self-serving, misleading or contradictory.

Putting one rumor to rest: there is no consideration given to the placement of an entry wound on a murder suspect's head in the tabulation of sectarian violence, contrary to a Washington Post report earlier this month.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004266.php

[DS1]

1. I always did find the bullet to the back or front of the head argument to be bunk

it's the rest of the article that should have been highlighted.

attacks against "same-sect civilians," U.S. forces, the Iraqi government or Iraqi security forces "are excluded and not defined as sectarian attacks."