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2007 is Deadliest Year in Iraq

Reuters reports:

Six U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq on Monday, the U.S. military said, making 2007 the deadliest year for U.S. forces in the country.

The deaths took the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq this year to 852. The worst previous year was 2004, when 849 deaths were recorded.

In total, 3,855 U.S. soldiers have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003.

As for those who do make it home, so many are going to need mental health help. The Joshua Omvig suicide prevention bill was signed into law today:

More...

The law requires mental health training for Veterans Affairs staff; a suicide prevention counselor at each VA medical facility; and mental-health screening and treatment for veterans who receive VA care. It also supports outreach and education for veterans and their families, peer support counseling and research into suicide prevention.

....Veterans Health Administration officials estimate 1,000 suicides per year among veterans receiving care within VHA and as many as 5,000 per year among all living veterans.

The damage at home from President Bush's wars will be with us for generations to come.

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  • Display: Sort:
    the occasional car bomb (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by Jlvngstn on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 10:14:05 AM EST
    According to the first lady, when it comes to Iraq, "No one suffers more than their president and I do."

    So there you have it.

    And (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by squeaky on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 01:29:25 PM EST
    Let them eat cake....

    Parent
    Generations to come? (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Edger on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 01:54:08 PM EST
    The damage at home from President Bush's wars will be with us for generations to come.

    With the manipulations Bush and Cheney and Rice and the rest of these lunatics are pursuing in Pakistan, the deaths in Iraq may become quite small relatively speaking, and generations to come may be quite a bit smaller than generations past.

    If Musharraf falls from power, Pakistan's nuclear weapons might fall under the control of known lunatics, while America's nuclear weapons are already under the control of known lunatics.
    Pakistan: Close To The Edge

    An illegal war (5.00 / 2) (#18)
    by tnthorpe on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 06:43:44 PM EST
    that's displaced millions, killed perhaps hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, women, and men whose singular crime was to be born near the Tigris, wounded with lifer altering consequence thousands of US soldiers, 3856 killed. Then there's the damage done to our international standing, the broken military, the grotesque profiteering. Then there's the domestic lawlessness and the public embrace of torture. We've taken the tyranny of Saddam and replaced with the tyranny of chaos in Iraq, and here, shredded the Consititution in order to protect it. Yeah, this is a war that only the most morally impoverished wingnut can love.


    This is pure nonsense. (1.00 / 1) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 12:09:39 PM EST
    Even if the congress had voted not to give Bush the right to go to war, Bush would have gone to war anyway.
     

    Why write something so obviously wrong??

    And please tell me, after years of suppressing human intelligence, and pledges to not assassinate other leaders, all started in the Demo Frank Church committee.... how would you do this??

    that could have been accomplaish with one assassin's bullet or bomb.

    Saul, you have a serious case of BDS.

    Details.... (1.00 / 1) (#9)
    by jarober on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 02:03:10 PM EST
    Never mind that the trend has been to lower death rates since the end of July....

    Details (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by squeaky on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 02:15:53 PM EST
    In reality, the U.S. is drifting further away from "victory." In October, civilian deaths increased, according to statistics obtained by the Iraqi government. A recent report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq reconstruction last month found little prospect of "lasting" reconciliation in Iraq.

    but what do they know?

    "I'm proud to say that the tide has turned in Iraq and we're winning that war," Lieberman said. "And if we don't let down our troops, they're going to bring home a victory that will protect us here at home from today's threat -- totalitarian terrorist Islamism that's trying to take our liberty from us."

    Lieberman's track record:

    - "Overall, I would say what I see here today is progress, significant progress from the last time I was here in December. And if you can see progress in war that means you're headed in the right direction." [5/30/07]

    • "The last two weeks...may be seen as a turning point." [12/17/05]

    • "Does America have a good plan for doing this, a strategy for victory in Iraq? Yes we do." [11/29/05]

    • "We have to stay the course in Iraq now. ... If we do that, we will...have won a victory in the war on terrorism." [1/4/04]

    think progress

    Parent
    One swallow a summer does not make.. (1.00 / 1) (#17)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 05:51:42 PM EST
    Details... (1.00 / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 02:13:52 PM EST
    Never mind that you tried this one yesterday. You hoping for better luck today?

    Parent
    There's your mistake (1.00 / 1) (#12)
    by jarober on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 02:33:25 PM EST
    It's an American war, authorized and paid for by Congress, and directed by the President.  This notion that the war "belongs" to one party only is stupid.  

    Last time I looked, Democrats ran Congress.  They could choose to not fund the war anytime they wanted to - but they won't.  

    No, James... (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by desertswine on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 03:34:26 PM EST
    It's George's War, alright.

    Democrat politicians are complicit only in their cowardice and stupidity.

    Parent

    Or.... (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by kdog on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 03:48:09 PM EST
    it could be cunning.  Let George and his boys take the blame, while making sure the complex is fed.  Say how horrible it is, win back Congress.

    Ya think Karl Rove is the only one with grand evil schemes?

    Parent

    The problem is (1.00 / 1) (#16)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 05:49:18 PM EST
     that the Demos have been surrendering for years..

    So if the situation improves, it will be because of the Repubs and in spite of the Demos.

    If the situation becomes worse, it will because of the Demos and in spite of the good the Repubs have tried to do.

    And to make it worse, Rangel is calling for a tax increase.

    In a year the Demos have turned victory in 2008 from a "gimme" putt into an 11 footer for par and a tie.

    This reminds me of 1979. The Demos had it all and flushed it down the toliet.

    Parent

    Wow (1.00 / 1) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 05:42:01 PM EST
    Democrat politicians are complicit only in their cowardice and stupidity.

    So they are cowards and stupid.

    That's the worst excuse for any action by anybody that I have ever seen.

    Especially if you think the Demos presently there should be elected.

    Parent

    How can you ignore (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jgarza on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 10:52:54 AM EST
    all the progress that is being made.

    The hour between 7 and 8 pm yesterday, had the lowest violence in 12 hours.  clearly that shows things are on an improving trend.  THE SURGE IS WORKING!

    yep, (none / 0) (#3)
    by cpinva on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 11:26:27 AM EST
    definitely signs of improvement there. unless, of course, you happen to be one those killed or wounded, or part of their families.

    pres. bush is convinced that history will record him as one of the country's greatest presidents. he can be forgiven his delusions somewhat, drugs & alcohol having taken their toll on his higher brain functions. that others actually agree with him is harder to explain. is there some inherent genetic flaw in the neocon mind, that it can so ably turn obvious failure into visions of victory?

    this would seem the perfect thesis topic, for some enterprising psychology phd candidate.

    All in your hands Mr. Bush (none / 0) (#4)
    by Saul on Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 11:46:45 AM EST
    This is Bush's war.  Even if the congress had voted not to give Bush the right to go to war, Bush would have gone to war anyway.  So his legacy should show that all these lives lost on both sides were needlessley lost and the war only accomplish negative things.  To use the excuse that Saddam is gone because of the war, that could have been accomplaish with one assassin's bullet or bomb. There was no need to destroy the country, kill our soldiers, and innocent Iraqis people.  So Mr. Bush all this blood is on your hands no one else.  So live with that my friend for the rest of your life. That is your legacy.