These numbers do not include the Taliban, Syrians, Fedayeen, Sadr's thugs, Ba'athists, and Iranians in Iraq. It does not include the terrorists crushed in cave collapses in Afghanistan.
This does not include Al Qaeda in other countries who are KIA.
When you add those, the total dead for the enemy skyrocket. What we really need is to get our own government (both parties) to untie the military's hands and let us do our jobs. It will not be pretty, it will not be 'PC', but it will work and it will end in victory.
Example: Go to Sadr City or any terrorist area in Anbar and surround it. Announce that the population has 12 hours to vacate though checkpoints. Anyone not going through a checkpoint will be shot. After the 12 Hours, commence bombing with B-52s, MOABs, Daisy-Cutters, and Fuel-Air Explosives. Add to this a few cannon and rocket artillery battalions with HE and WP.
After the fires have gone down, send in the tanks and IFVs at night with thermal sensors online. Orbit UAVs with thermals and Hellfire missiles. Include several wings of bombers and attack aircraft for CAS. If anything is "hot" on the thermals, shoot it. Level the town to its lower sewers. Leave the smoldering hole as a warning. Only THEN do we start 'talking' with the terrorists. We do this once or twice and the 'insurgency' will end.
Contrary to popular myth, the USA has never lost an insurgency. Our military defeated each one. Our politicians, however, lose sight of the need for victory. "Insurgencies" are ugly wars and are fought in violent, ugly ways. Some will say the above example makes us no better than Saddam. They are dead wrong. Saddam did level towns. He never gave the people warning or time to evacuate noncombatants. We do. That is the difference.
Or else we can keep fighting the EU/UN/PC way and lose. And when we lose, we will have these terrorists in our backyards. The hundreds of reported and unreported terror attacks under Clinton's 'watch' will seem like nothing.
Yeah, I'm mean but I am leaving for Iraq in a few weeks. According to my wife's "useful idiot" aunt, I'll be dead anyways so why should I care if I come off 'insensitive'.
Thanks -- for pointing out the error of my assumption regarding total KIA.. The article CLEARLY said Al Qaeda -- and I assumed total lunatic assholes KIA..
That's what happens to old farts who consume adult beverages beyond their rational limit.. There was a reason I gave up the stuff decades ago......I go stupid!
I also agree with your position on fighting this war.
We've constrained our forces far too much for their own force protection and mission success.
May God's strength and blessing be with you on your upcoming deployment. Come home soon.
Stay safe.
Semper Fi
We do this once or twice and the 'insurgency' will end.
EXACTLY
Remember its better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
Shoot first, let somebody else ask questions later.