Body Count

Gary Sisco · April-2nd-2003, 09:57 AM

As of this morning:

US dead: 46
MIA: 15
wounded: no figures available

Brit dead: 27
MIA: none
wounded: no figures available

Iraqi count: Nothing available on military casualties. Civilian dead numbers available only from Iraq official sources, given at 500 to 700. It's probably safe to cut that figure in half.

(Guardian, UK, today)

Tanager · April-2nd-2003, 09:59 AM

One (relatively) good bit of news - one US soldier rescued from a hospital in Nassiriya by a special ops team. More than anything, I'm glad for her and her familiy.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 10:44 AM

By all means let's not let those filty wogs get their hands on a nice little WHITE girl. Send in the Green Berets... (Sarcasm).

No. I'm glad she's free. Too bad Bush sent her in to harms way for no good reason.

Al in NYC · April-2nd-2003, 10:48 AM

It seems they also found 11 bodies, likely American, in rescuing her.

One of the things that's striking to me is that many of the Americans captured, killed, or missing seem to be from non-combat units. Why did this happen? Did they stretch the supply lines too thin and leave them unprotected? Did they not expect guerilla activity or other problems at the rear?

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Al in NYC
Did they not expect guerilla activity or other problems at the rear?

Their problems at the rear are due to their heads being too far extended up their butts.

Tanager · April-2nd-2003, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Al in NYC
One of the things that's striking to me is that many of the Americans captured, killed, or missing seem to be from non-combat units. Why did this happen? Did they stretch the supply lines too thin and leave them unprotected? Did they not expect guerilla activity or other problems at the rear?

You're joking, right Al? You have read/heard/seen some news in the last couple of weeks, right? In short: For the reasons you suggest, yes, no.

Tanager · April-2nd-2003, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Clay Fink
By all means let's not let those filty wogs get their hands on a nice little WHITE girl. Send in the Green Berets...

I may be overreacting, but suggesting, even jokingly, a racial motive for rescuing a fellow soldier seems out of line. And I doubt they knew precisely which solders were alive, if any, before they made the raid.

patricia · April-2nd-2003, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tanager
I may be overreacting, but suggesting, even jokingly, a racial motive for rescuing a fellow soldier seems out of line. And I doubt they knew precisely which solders were alive, if any, before they made the raid.

I'm sure that Tanager's remark was an attempt at levity, gallows humour if you will.

Two British soldiers have been removed from the "theatre" because they voiced disgust at the "illegality" of the attack on Iraq.
Apparantly, according to their lawyer, they are in big trouble.

clinthopson · April-2nd-2003, 11:19 AM

Shrub has caused 73 confirmed deaths of US and Brit troops plus a probable other 11 and of course, the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands of Iraqi soldiers and civilians.

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom continues on course.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tanager
I may be overreacting, but suggesting, even jokingly, a racial motive for rescuing a fellow soldier seems out of line. And I doubt they knew precisely which solders were alive, if any, before they made the raid.

Gallows humor. Yes it was. I'm sure they would have rescued the sister who's being held as a POW if they could have.

That our actions, generally, in this war are not racially motivated at least in part is debatable. At the same time, the whole history of European and American involvement in the non-white world is full of examples of how we view these folks as lesser beings who need "correction". There's been a good bit a talk like that from our right wing brothers all along the way on this war.

It's ironic that a good number of our non-white fellow citizens are getting shot at defending Southern white privilege.

patricia · April-2nd-2003, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Clay Fink
Gallows humor. Yes it was. I'm sure they would have rescued the sister who's being held as a POW if they could have.

That our actions, generally, in this war are not racially motivated at least in part is debatable. At the same time, the whole history of European and American involvement in the non-white world is full of examples of how we view these folks as lesser beings who need "correction". There's been a good bit a talk like that from our right wing brothers all along the way on this war.

It's ironic that a good number of our non-white fellow citizens are getting shot at defending Southern white privilege.

I think that, though you have a valid point, with regard to the "otherness" of the Iraqi people, I don't think that overt racism was involved in who was rescued and who was not. The uniform, I hope, was the determining factor in this case. I was more disturbed by the dead bodies which were also discussed. None of them needed to be dead, no matter what their ethnic origins were.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 11:39 AM

I promise that in the future that I will flag all sarcasm with the note: "(sarcasm)"

It just makes me feel superiour chraracterizing our forces as a bunch of ravenous, racist locusts. Though, of course, we're nothing of the kind (sarcasm).

I'm sorry about any dead bodies that have resulted from this unnecessary and illegal war from either side - guilty or not guilty. Period.

tippy · April-2nd-2003, 12:01 PM

I too think the racial factor is misapplied here. After all, Saddam is the Arab Hitler didn't you know? And Hitler as far as I know was white. Cultural differences, sure, since they don't share our Jesus, but neither do the jews and they are our friends. (In fact, Muslims are more accepting of Jesus than those of Jewish faith, right?) We didn't like Russians for a good while, now French people, now Russians (again) and they are whitey too.

I think this invasion is primarily about economic factors. I mean human rights. I mean WOMD. Control? Small peni? (ha ha, that's a *joke*) Pick your own best reason.

Btw, is sympathy being created indirectly for that despot Hussein? Now that would be sick.

Here's to the Battle of Baghdad. I wish our guys luck. You know that POW they rescued had two broken legs and a broken arm. How did that happen?

patricia · April-2nd-2003, 12:04 PM

Yours is not an opinion of a small number of weirdos, but of many regular people who have been carried into this whole mess, kicking and screaming.
Now, all we can do, for now, is twist our sashes and hope that it will be over soon. So, so sad and unnessesary, IMO.
Maternity hospital was hit. Many injured. Oh well, shit happens.
[YES, SARCASM, FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH MY POSTING STYLE]

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 12:21 PM

How can you say "shit happens" in the face of the slaughter of innocents, even if it's for their own good.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 12:23 PM

BTW is it 'peni' or 'penises' (or just A BUNCH OF DICKS)?

patricia · April-2nd-2003, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Clay Fink
How can you say "shit happens" in the face of the slaughter of innocents, even if it's for their own good.

Did you see my disclaimer at the end of my post?? YOU, above others who read my post, should understand what sarcasm is.
THAT WAS SARCASM!!!

I've since edited, putting my disclaimer in caps.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by patricia
Did you see my disclaimer at the end of my post?? YOU, above others who read my post, should understand what sarcasm is.
THAT WAS SARCASM!!!

I've since edited, putting my disclaimer in caps.

Who ME? Sarcastic?

For christ's sake, I knew you were being sarcastic.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 12:41 PM

The banjo boy is starting to scare me...

patricia · April-2nd-2003, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Clay Fink
Who ME? Sarcastic?

For christ's sake, I knew you were being sarcastic.

OK. Your post didn't make that clear. Sorry.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by patricia
OK. Your post didn't make that clear. Sorry.

You're sorry? I'm sorry!

walto · April-2nd-2003, 02:22 PM

This just in from the thread police:

"All sarcasm, express or implied on this thread, whether labeled as such or not, is right out, effective immediately. That is all."

This has been a service of Thread Police Notice Disseminators, LLC, and Mutilation Bros., Inc. As always, we hope it will be found conducive to smoother and better lubricated future discussions.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 02:28 PM

Walter. Are you serious?!

Uli · April-2nd-2003, 02:30 PM

I am organizing a sit-in against organisations associated with a certain walto.

More to the suject of body count. One may become so sarcastic and think "What's a 1000" They have much bigger earthquakes than that. And why don't they count the Republican guards? I mean, they are soldiers too and seem to get the heaviest of pounding.

Clay Fink · April-2nd-2003, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Uli
And why don't they count the Republican guards? I mean, they are soldiers too and seem to get the heaviest of pounding.

They are also Republicans - I can't understand why Bush is so mad at them.

Gary Sisco · April-2nd-2003, 02:56 PM

Answer to one of the questions. There are always ten or more personnel involved with logistics for every combat trooper. Nothing to say that only combat troopers get killed or captured. That's war, my friends. People get hurt and killed and shit gets destroyed. It's always that way, always has been, always will be. That's why it *ought* to be the last decision taken after all others have proven themselves unworthy. Not the first, out of mere impatience and personal agendas.

There's no count on Iraqi soldiers 'cause neither side is counting them.

patricia · April-2nd-2003, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by walto
This just in from the thread police:

"All sarcasm, express or implied on this thread, whether labeled as such or not, is right out, effective immediately. That is all."

This has been a service of Thread Police Notice Disseminators, LLC, and Mutilation Bros., Inc. As always, we hope it will be found conducive to smoother and better lubricated future discussions.

LOL!!! Noted and ignored.

Uli · April-2nd-2003, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gary Sisco

There's no count on Iraqi soldiers 'cause neither side is counting them.

Both sides have pretty good estimates, imho.

Tanager · April-2nd-2003, 04:27 PM

I don't mean to make light of it, but I actually kind of doubt it, Uli. You might be correct in a general sense, but considering the "children's crusade" recruiting and deployment tactics of the regular Iraqi army, I can't imagine anyone *really* has a firm handle on any precise number of the number of raw grunts blasted by our bombardments.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that a lot of the Iraqi regulars die pretty anonymous deaths.

RainyDay · April-2nd-2003, 04:27 PM

So I'm reading Time magazine last night and there's a big color photo of a dead Iraqi soldier laying face up. Then a few pages on there is an article about the appropriateness of showing dead American soldiers in the media.