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Anyhow, is this group's numbers reliable?

I have two things to say in answer to your comment.

1. They understand the inaccuracies in their methods and maintain a minimum and maximum number. At one point, these were 2 to 1 with each other. As time is going by, they are moving closer together as they do more research. At the time I wrote my comment, the MINIMUM number was just over 6000. I never considered the maximim number.

2. Why isn't our government doing the counting. They have better access to data-they can do actual body counts. General Franks said bluntly at the beginning that "We do not do body counts". The only explanation for that is to hide the data from the people so they would not become enraged. We are left with nothing better than the amateurs doing the counting and debates over the accuracy. I believe the government should have done an accurate count, no matter how embarrassing. Having failed to do so, they will have to be embarrassed by the imperfect counts that are available. The anti-war fury would be unbearable if the counts were disclosed every day and pictures of the maimed were shown. In all the months of fighting, I have seen ONLY ONE picture of a maimed Iraqi. That is no accident. The media are keeping a lid on the consequences of the war. As usual, they are serving the government, whether it is a right or left government.

1. They understand the inaccuracies in their methods and maintain a minimum and maximum number. At one point, these were 2 to 1 with each other. As time is going by, they are moving closer together as they do more research. At the time I wrote my comment, the MINIMUM number was just over 6000. I never considered the maximim number.

That is the same that I heard. It must have been the interview that I heard. I will have to agree with you that they seemed reasonable, not bent on distorting things.

As for the U.S. doing body counts, I'm sure they have a number. What we don't do is publish it, likely for reasons that it will be twisted against our effort there. I saw a CNN report that so highlighted civilian casualties that it completely ignored the thousands that were saved from torture.

People opposed to the war and citing civilian casualties never seem to get past a one-move-at-a-time thought process/mentality. While they say, not one civilian should be caught in the cross fire, they would let thousands burn.

This always amazes me that people can not see that what they want is not possible. I think we call that utopian. We hope they one day grow up - or in the case of Martin Sheen, do us all a favor and duct tape their mouths voluntarily.

The only explanation for that is to hide the data from the people so they would not become enraged. We are left with nothing better than the amateurs doing the counting and debates over the accuracy. I believe the government should have done an accurate count, no matter how embarrassing.

Our government was in a position to count and bury Iraqi civilian and military bodies during the war?

Served in combat?