U.S. Troop Deaths In Iraq Exceed 9/11 Toll

(CBS/AP)  The U.S. military announced the deaths of seven American soldiers Tuesday, raising the U.S. death toll since the beginning of the Iraq war to at least 2,978 — five more than the number of people killed in the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S.

At least 54 Iraqis also died in bombings on Tuesday, officials said, including a coordinated strike that killed 25 in western Baghdad.

The three coordinated car bombs in western Baghdad injured at least 55 people, a doctor at Yarmouk hospital, where the victims were taken, said on condition of anonymity because of safety concerns. The attacks occurred in a mixed Sunni and Shiite neighborhood.

In other attacks, a car bomb exploded near a Sunni mosque in northern Baghdad at the beginning of the evening rush hour, killing 17 people and wounding 35, a doctor at Al-Nuaman hospital said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

A bomb also exploded in a central Baghdad market, killing four people and wounding 15, police said. Two roadside bombs targeted an Iraqi police patrol in an eastern neighborhood of the capital, killing four policemen and injuring 12 people.

In Kirkuk, 180 miles north of the Iraqi capital, a roadside bomb killed three civilians — including an 8-year-old girl — and wounded six other people, police said.

The tragic milestone for the U.S. military was reached with the deaths of seven soldiers Monday and Tuesday in bombings and other violence in the war-torn country.

Tuesday, a bomb killed three American soldiers and wounded one northwest of Baghdad.

"The patrol was conducting a route clearance mission when a roadside bomb exploded near them," the military said.

Two of the soldiers killed Monday were in their vehicle when a roadside bomb went off southwest of Baghdad, the military said.

"The joint patrol was conducting security operations in order to stop terrorists from placing roadside bombs in the area," it said in a statement on the latest deaths. "As they conducted their mission, a roadside bomb exploded near one of their vehicles."

In a separate incident, another soldier was killed in an explosion while on a foot patrol in the same area, a second statement said. Three soldiers were wounded in the incidents, the military said.

The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks claimed 2,973 victims in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Opponents of President Bush have criticized him for raising the attacks as a justification for the protracted fight in Iraq.

Prior to the deaths announced Tuesday, the AP count was 15 higher than the Defense Department's tally, last updated Friday at 10 a.m. EST. At least 2,377 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston reports that December is already the second deadliest month of 2006 for U.S. forces in Iraq. The depressing question now, Pinkston says, is whether the final figure will exceed October's of 106.

In Washington, White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel said Tuesday that Mr. Bush grieves for each member of the armed forces who has died.

"The war on terror is going to be a long struggle," he said. "We will be fighting violent jihadists for the peace and security of the civilized world for many years to come."

The figures came as American troops fought gunmen in a Shiite militia stronghold Tuesday in east Baghdad, according to witnesses. Fighters loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr were engaged in clashes with U.S. forces in and near Sadr City, an official in al- Sadr's office said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Snipers from both sides were deployed on rooftops and helicopters hovered overhead, he said. Explosions were heard throughout the area.

An Associated Press reporter in the area said U.S. troops exchanged fire with gunmen.

Another sobering statistic; Iraqi officials report that 12,000 national police officers have been killed since the invasion in 2003, says Pinkston

In other developments:

An Iraqi appeals court has upheld the death sentence for Saddam Hussein, Iraq's national security adviser said Tuesday. "The appeals court approved the verdict to hang Saddam," said the official, Mouwafak al-Rubaie. The sentence "must be implemented within 30 days," chief judge Aref Shahin. "From tomorrow, any day could be the day of implementation."

A top Senate Democrat said he will fight President Bush if the administration decides to send more U.S. troops to Iraq. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a likely presidential candidate, also warned that if congressional Republicans do not join him in speaking out against Mr. Bush that they – not Democrats – will suffer in the 2008 elections.

Two senior defense officials say Defense Secretary Robert Gates has signed orders that will send a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division to Kuwait. The soldiers are expected to be deployed into Iraq early next year. The 82nd Airborne unit, which would include as many as 3,300 soldiers, will replace a Marine unit that had served as the reserve force based in Kuwait but has been deployed into Iraq.

The White House said Monday that U.S. troops in Iraq detained at least two Iranians and released two others who had diplomatic immunity. CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod reports the Iranians were captured in two raids last week and are suspected of planning attacks on U.S. and Iraqi security forces.

British soldiers were on alert for reprisals Tuesday a day after they raided a police station in the southern city of Basra, killing seven gunmen in an effort to stop renegade Iraqi officers from executing their prisoners.

Randall Pinkston

reports (video)

American soldiers at Camp Victory in Baghdad held onto as much of the holiday spirit as they could on Christmas Day, away from home and family.

[retiredsfc]

r_bayless,

first you missed the point. I give many arguements for and against everything I said. The idea of fighting in Iraq was an opinion not an arguement. After many years in the military, I would always prefer to fight on their ground not mine here in the U.S., but as you said they can come here anytime. The point was to let the military do there job. That means being the biggest and badest SOB around. I have listened to a political professor from Lebonnan who has interview many of the Hamas. One of the things he said was family is all important. He cited an example: Hamas took a Russian Journalist, within 24 hours the head of an uncle of one of the leaders was delivered with this message, If you want this to happen to your family keep our journalist or release him in 24 hours. He was back in Russian hands before six hours had elapsed. As an American we always play fair, but to fight this fight means not always being fair. If you look back prior to Iraq, the U.S. has never been found favorably in the muslim world. I just want the American people to shut-up, support the military and leave the idot politicans alone so the miltary can do their job.

[retiredsfc]

As I read comments from the many people I see 4 things.1. People support our troops. 2. People want us to leave Iraq. 3. Impeach the President.
4. Americans have forgotten what it takes to win.
As American's we have forgotten what it takes to win. We have become a society of getting our way and forget that to be successful takes time and hard work. When we allowed the military to do their job and not be hampered by politicians, media, or negative naysayers, we triumph in war. The Viet Nam war was a political one, we lost. The Gulf War was a military one, we won. The Iraq war should have been a military controlled operation not a political fiasco. How many people know soldiers themselves want more troops, and their hands untied to do their jobs. Soldiers and Marines are there, show support leave the politicians alone except to tell them to let the military do their job, even not being the nice guy. You fight terrorism on their ground and with the same destructive nature. Americans need to wake up and smell the coffe, I would rather fight on my enemy's ground than my own. Whether the reasons for Iraq were right or wrong, to sit back and be defensive only invites trouble. You want to get out of Iraq then let the military do their job. Remember soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen are the last who want any war, they have to fight it, but they will fight it to win, if we but let them and quit backstabbing our government, even with our problems, it is still the best in the world.

[mh4cbs1]

Honor the Troops.

Honor them by Impeaching, then JAILING Bush and Cheney. This is the only way to bring justice to our fallen troops who sacrificed their lives serving our nation.

The American sheeple must wake up and learn to separate the noble and honorable service of our middleclass troops from the the sick and disgraceful actions of their chickhawk political leaders, who serve the super-wealthy and who sacrifice our troops in their imperial wars. Have we learned nothing at all from Vietnam?

[mh4cbs1]

God Bless Our Troops and the fascist NeoCons who use them as cannon fodder for their needless, horrific imperial Wars for power and profit.

To always ask God to Bless only our troops, or only the 'USA'is an act of extreme self-centered hubris. It is an attempt to use and abuse God for political purposes. If you believe in one God, God is God of all creation.

[mh4cbs1]

3,000 fallen US troops. Add in the 600 dead contractors that no one ever hears about, and of course the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis, and you are left with a George Bush whose actions have caused more death and destruction than Saddam and Osama combined.

Support Our Troops! JAIL BUSH and JAIL CHENEY for their WAR CRIMES.

Support Our Troops! Get them OUT of Iraq starting now.

kenexch58 wrote:

"I see a lot of Bush bashing and no responsibility taken...God Bless our troops and shame on the Americans who discredit them!"

And shame on those who allowed our troops to be put into harms way in the first place.

[heetseeker]

"Read Between the Lines"

Watch out for the aministration to tell you that the overall number of US troop casualties has fallen in 2006 compared to 2005. The total for 2005 was 846 and the number for this year will probably be less than 820. However, what the administration will not tell you is that the overall number of combat deaths (those due to hostile fire) has increased in 2006 compared to 2005.

Why is this significant? Because hostile casualties measure violence levels. Essentially, they are a key stability indicator. It is hard to suggest that things are getting better, if we are losing more troops to hostile fire. Like so much else in this war, it defies logic. In contrast, non-combat deaths (due to suicides, accidents and natural causes such as heart attacks)have decreased compared to 2005.

So there we have it. Three years into the war against these dead-enders, Saddam loyalists and remnants: insurgent attacks up, hostile troop casualties up, sectarian attacks up, confidence in the President's handling of the war down. Far from mission accomplished.

[nyckate]

The Bush Administration perpetrated the myth that we were in Iraq to stop further 9-11 attacks here in America which is I guess why some are comparing the numbers of those who died in Iraq to those died on 9-11.

The questions Americans need to ask themselves - how far are we willing to go down the road with Bush in charge of our participation in iraq - is middle America ready to allow their sons and daughters there? Can you make that sacrifice? If not then don't expect taht others will either - and from somewhere we need to find troops.

[stick130]

MIKEKLEBER,,, My IRA is worth the same amount it was worth 7 years ago. I've invested more money in it,that's the only reason it's worth more. If I would of put the money in a bank it would be worth more today than my IRA in the past 7 years. My wife was smarter than me she rolled hers over to an interest bearing account.Hers went up 7%.

[kenexch58]

I see a lot of Bush bashing and no responsibility taken. We elect our reps. All of Congress has played a part in this situation. People need to focus on a resolution rather than complaining and doing nothing. No one has offered a solution. My nephew was bombed on Christmas day & wounded & fortunately lived. He watched 2 of friends die but still believes, as many of the soldiers do, that we are doing the right thing. God Bless our troops and shame on the Americans who discredit them!