Fw: Is the actual US death toll in Iraq 9000?

 

----- Original Message -----

From: John Steiner

To: John Steiner

Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 3:05 AM

Subject: Is the actual US death toll in Iraq 9000?

From: <Ddrasin@aol.com>

9000 Americans dead in Operation Iraqi Freedom

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/jim-lampley/the-ultimate-deception_2838.html

A Bush-watcher website identified as_ TBRNews.org_
(http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a1622.htm) is reporting
under the byline of "domestic intelligence reporter" Brian
Harring that the Department of Defense is using a cynical
tactic to mislead the public regarding the true death toll
for American military personnel in Iraq. Harring claims he
has an internal pdf. file from the D.O.D. which establishes
that nearly 9000 Americans have died in Operation Iraqi
Freedom, but that the official number has been held to 1713
by designating as Iraq deaths only those who perish on Iraqi
soil. The remainder, he says, are military personnel who have
died en route to Germany or in German hospitals-- casualties
of the war, but not listed in the official death toll.

If this is true it would explain the apparent statistical
discrepancy between dead and wounded. A combat action which
produces nearly eight times as many officially wounded--
13000 plus-- as officially dead...well, it's not the norm. It
goes without saying it would also further jolt a public
majority already disturbed by the war's "progress" and eager
to see the troops come home.

How to validate or invalidate Harring's incendiary claims? In
his report Harring asserts he will begin publishing, in
sections, the Defense Department's official list of war dead
from Iraq. Relatives and other loved ones of those whose
lives are gone will be asked to examine the lists to see if
the names of those they've lost appear on the list. The
Defense Department has, according to Harring, properly
notified the loved ones of those who have died in Germany or
en route to hospital, but has neglected to inform them that
the casualty is not a part of the official death toll.

This is the way to find out, and gradually we in the
blogosphere may get a picture of whether this most cruel of
deceptions has really taken place. You have to hope not. But
in light of everything we've learned, do you think this is
beyond them? An Administration which forbids photographs of
returning coffins? An Administration whose President has yet
to attend a single Iraq-related funeral or memorial? It
appears almost nothing is beyond them.

There's more at the site. Harring also asserts more than 5500
American military personnel assigned to Iraq have deserted,
most to Ireland and Canada. But I am at a loss to figure the
origin of this site or the validity of its information
without help, and that is what the rest of you can provide by
taking a look, filtering it into the growing documentation of
Iraq War deceit, and locating those who might be able to
gather whether their loved one's death was honestly and
fairly recorded for the act of combat heroism it may have
been.

In my heart I sincerely hope Harring is wrong.

I hope that we can get to the bottom of this.

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