US Iraq Casualties Rise to 73,436

US military occupation forces in Iraq under Commander-in-Chief Obama suffered 18 combat casualties between August 18 and Sept 1st, 2009 as the official total since the 2003 invasion soared to at least 73,436. The total includes 34,952 and dead and wounded from what the Pentagon classifies as "hostile" causes and more than 38,484 (as of July 4, 2009) dead and medically evacuated 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, IC 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 (4,340) as of Sept. 1, 2009 but rarely mentioning the 31,483 wounded in combat. To further minimize public perception of the cost, they cover for the Pentagon by ignoring the 37,613 (as of July 4, 2009))*** military victims of accidents and illness serious enough to require medical air evacuation, although the 4,335 reported deaths include 871 (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

*** ICasualties

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

**** NYTimes, Jan 30, 2009

Compiled by Michael Munk www.MichaelMunk.com