US Iraq Casualties Rise to 72,400

US military occupation forces in Iraq under Commander-in-Chief Obama suffered 19 combat casualties in the eight days ending July 22, 2009, as the official total since the 2003 invasion rose to at least 72,380.

The total includes 34,910 dead and wounded from what the Pentagon classifies as "hostile" causes and more than 37,490 dead and medically evacuated (out of date: last reported April 4, 2009) from "non-hostile" causes.*

The actual total is over 100,000 because the Pentagon chooses not to count as "Iraq casualties" the more than 30,000 veterans whose injuries-mainly brain trauma from explosions - were diagnosed only after they had left Iraq.** In addition, the Iraq Coalition Casualty Report names eight service members who died of wounds after they left Iraq and are not counted by the Pentagon.***

US media divert attention from the actual cost in American life and limb by occasionally reporting only the total killed (4,332 as of July 22) but rarely mentioning the 31,4461 wounded in combat. To further minimize public perception of the cost, they cover for the Pentagon by ignoring the 36,624 (as of April 4))*** military victims of accidents and illness serious enough to require medical air evacuation, although the 4,332 reported deaths include 868 (up one) who died from those same causes, including at least 18 from faulty electrical work by KBR and 177 suicides through 2008.****

Key:

* The number of wounded is updated weekly by the Pentagon.

** New York Times, Jan 26, 2009

*** Iraq Coalition Casualty Report

**** the number of "non combat" injured is reported irregularly by the Pentagon.

**** NYTimes, Jan 30, 2009 Compiled by Michael Munk @ www.MichaelMunk.com