Posted on 03/19/2009 2:23:04 AM PDT by Scanian
USA Today, to its credit, carried a front page story, “Iraq combat deaths at 6-year low.” According to the article:
U.S. combat deaths in Iraq have flattened at the lowest level since the war began six years ago Thursday, and the Navy has not lost a member to combat in more than a year. Three Marines have been killed in combat since August, and none since December, records show. The Air Force hasn’t had a combat death since April, and the Navy since February 2008. In some weeks, casualty figures for Iraq show, the number of non-combat deaths for U.S. troops topped those killed in fighting.
Among other data points:
• In January and February, 15 U.S. servicemembers were killed in hostile action. That compares with 60 for the same period in 2008 and 149 in 2007.
• Lower combat deaths match the overall drop in violence levels throughout Iraq. In February, there were 340 attacks with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) — the top threat to U.S. troops — the lowest number since October 2004.
• All attacks against coalition forces, including gunfire, mortars and roadside bombs, have dropped 90 percent since early 2007.
• In Baghdad, insurgent attacks have declined from 243 in February 2008 to 67 last month. This month, there have been 43 attacks, compared with 740 last March.
• In northern Iraq, where insurgents have some of their last sanctuaries, attacks have dropped by 70 percent since September 2007 to December 2008.
These extraordinary figures are part of an extraordinary American achievement.
(Excerpt) Read more at commentarymagazine.com ...
The Department of Defense briefed the president this morning and told President Obama that two Brazilian soldiers were killed in Iraq. To everyone's surprise, all the color drained from Obama's face. Then he collapsed onto his desk, head in his hands, visibly shaken, almost in tears. Finally, he composed himself and asked, "Just how many is a brazilian?" This is especially enlightening since he obviously has no concept of a billion or a trillion, either.
Hell no.
How I would love to see W show up on an aircraft carrier in his flight suit with a “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” banner behind him!
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