U.S. Death Toll Tops 1,800 In Iraq
Seven Marines Killed In Two Attacks West Of Baghdad
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Play CBS Video Video U.S. Deaths In Iraq Top 1,800 American deaths surpassed 1,800 with the announcement that six Marines from Cleveland were killed northwest of Baghdad. Another Marine was killed 50 miles away. Sharyn Alfonsi and David Martin report.
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Video Troops Need Affordable Homes Many military volunteers and their families face immense pressure when it comes to finding affordable housing. Jim Acosta reports on the growing problem.
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Video Scene Of Attack On U.S. Convoy CBS News RAW: Cameras captured footage of a roadside bomb explosion at the entrance to a tunnel in Baghdad, and the immediate aftermath. The attack targeted a U.S. military convoy.
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A U.S. soldier stands guard as American and Iraqi troops look for evidence around a charred U.S. military Humvee that was the target of a roadside attack, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, in Baghdad. (AP)
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An Iraqi police officer pauses while patrolling the site of a massive car bomb attack near the National Theater in Baghdad. Seven people were killed and 25 were injured. (AP)
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Iraqi troops try to diffuse an angry mob of Iraqi army recruit applicants outside the main recruitment center, Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, in the southern city of Basra. (AP)
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Interactive American Heroes Profiles of U.S. soldiers who've died in Iraq, a look at the war's toll and pictures of mourning.
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Interactive Attacks Map Details on the insurgency and terrorism that has continued to take lives since the fall of Saddam.
After the attack, residents of Haditha said several masked gunmen identifying themselves as members of the Ansar al-Sunnah Army, a major Sunni Arab insurgent group, appeared in the market carrying helmets, flak jackets and automatic rifles they said belonged to U.S. troops.
They distributed fliers claiming they had killed 10 American service members.
“They were on a mountain near the town so we went up, surrounded them and asked them to surrender,” the statement said. “They did not surrender so we killed them.”
A similar claim in the name of Ansar al-Sunnah was posted on an Islamic Web site.
At least 1,801 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,382 died as a result of hostile action. The figures include five military civilians.
The toll among Iraqis, however, has been much higher.
On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said that since April 1, a total of 2,709 Iraqis have died in violent attacks, including 1,413 civilians. The rest were soldiers, police and insurgents.
The death toll for July was 656, the ministry said. That was the second deadliest month since the Shiite-dominated government was installed — surpassed only by May's figure of 967 deaths.
However, records-keeping in Iraq is irregular, especially in areas where the insurgents are strong, and the real figure is probably higher.
Violence has accelerated as the Iraqis struggle to finish a new constitution — which the United States sees as crucial toward maintaining political momentum and undermining the insurgency.
An Iraqi committee is racing to finish the charter in time for an Aug. 15 deadline for parliamentary approval. After that, voters will decide whether to ratify the document in a referendum in mid-October, followed by a new election in December.
If all goes well, the United States and its partners hope to start bringing their troops home next year. On Tuesday, a joint commission formed to coordinate the handover of cities to Iraqi security forces held its first meeting.
Progress on the constitution has been slowed, however, due to broad differences on the role of Islam, federalism and the distribution of national wealth. Iraqi women activists fear designating Islam as the main source of legislation will curb their rights.
On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad urged the framers to protect women's rights as a “fundamental requirement for Iraq's progress.”
“My focus is to help get a constitution that does this,” Khalilzad told reporters. “Of course, the Iraqis will decide but we will help in any way that we can.”
Khalilzad said his government would encourage Iraqi politicians to exclude any constitutional articles that discriminate or limit opportunities for any Iraqi citizens.
© MMV CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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