At Last! Good News From Iraq

The Skinny: Non-Combat Deaths Among U.S. Troops Have Dropped For 3 Straight Years

(CBS)  The Skinny is Keach Hagey's take on the top news of the day and the best of the Internet.

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USA Today reports that non-combat U.S. troop deaths have fallen for three years--largely because of fewer vehicle accidents--and account for the smallest percentage of fatalities of any war except the Korean conflict.

Non-combat deaths are declining mostly because troops aren't driving unless they absolutely have to for a mission, USA Today reports. But the change is significant in the history of warfare.

Until World War II, more soldiers died from things like dysentery and freezing to death than taking bullets, historians say. Even the high-tech 1991 Gulf War continued this trend, with 235 troops dying outside of combat, compared to 147 in combat. That war, according to Dennis McBride, president of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, was "relatively chaotic."

Things are also looking good on the home front. The Wall Street Journal worldwide newsbox notes that U.S traffice dealths fell to 42,642 in 2006, the lowest in five years. At the same time, the death rate per miles traveled hit a record low.

Ask Not For Whom It Polls, Congress, It Polls For Thee

Note to Congress: Next time you think that staying up all night eating pizza, lounging on cots and snapping testily at each other is going to convince the public you're helping them shoulder the burden of the disastrous war that you voted for, think again. Two polls released today reveal that, on the whole, Americans have a low opinion of our men and women on the Hill.

The New York Times suggests that the low Congressional approval ratings found in its New York Times/CBS News poll--only 6 in 10 Americans approve of the job they're doing--might account for an otherwise mystifying uptick in the number of people who support the initial invasion of Iraq from a similar poll earlier this month. The bizarre conclusion from this thinking is that, while American might hate war, they appear to hate Congress's ineffectual attempts to stop it even more.

The Washington Post reports that a Washington Post/ABC News poll finds similar lack of love for Congress's handling of Iraq. Overall approval of Congress stands at 37 percent in the poll, with 60 percent disapproval rating equal to public dissatisfaction with the Republican-controlled Congress late last year. And we all remember what happened to them.

"Sustainable Security"--Not As Earth-Friendly As It Sounds

The New York Times leads today with a story confirming yesterday's USA Today interview with a top general suggesting the U.S. military plans to stay in Iraq for at least another two years. This time, the Times refers to classified documents, discussed by unnamed officials, outlining American plans to establish "sustainable security" across Iraq by 2009.

Although the document mentions bringing down the troop "surge" sometime next year, "it nonetheless assumes continued American involvement to train soldiers, act as partners with Iraqi forces and fight terrorist groups in Iraq."

No, Really, We're Just Stopping By

In case these leaks weren't enough to frighten Iraqis into believing we're planning to set up some kind of permanent shop in their country, the LA Times reports today on the controversy surrounding the new, Vatican City-sized U.S. embassy now being built in Baghdad.

The $600-million behemoth won't even be finished until September, but it's already being criticized as an anachronism, not big enough or safe enough if things go south.

"Like much U.S. planning in Iraq, the embassy was conceived nearly three years ago on rosy assumptions that stability was around the corner, and the military efforts would gradually draw down, leaving behind a vast array of civilian experts who would remain intimately engaged in Iraqi state-building."

Oh yeah, and someone got hold of the architectural plans and posted them on the Internet in May. But that's not the scariest part. This is:

"If the government of Iraq collapses and becomes transparently just one party in a civil war, you've got Ft. Apache in the middle of Indian Country," said Stephen Biddle, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "But the Indians have mortars now."


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[starleo146]

5 killed today you jinksed them don't tell somethimg like that again

[lars008-2009]

please support our troops

demonic-rats won't fight the fascist nazi terrorislamic war...

Incredible! George S Patton's New Speech-Iraq & modern world
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyUX6wV1lBQ

[zootallures2]

Bush can make it another successful benchmark. And don't be surprised if he actually does.

[iceman_1960]

"As you say of yourself, I too am an Epicurean. I consider the genuine (not the imputed) doctrines of Epicurus as containing everything rational in moral philosophy which Greece and Rome have left us." - Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short (Oct. 31, 1819) on his admiration of the principles of Epicurus.

"Among the sayings and discourses imputed to Jesus by his biographers, I find many passages of fine imagination, correct morality, and of the most lovely benevolence; and others again of so much ignorance, so much absurdity, so much untruth, charlatanism, and imposture, as to pronounce it impossible that such contradictions should have proceeded from the same being."
- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short (April 13, 1820)

[iceman_1960]

"Thomas Jefferson and James Madison defeated the fascist nazi muslims 200 years ago"

Didn't they spend most of their time fighting the Christian extremists in England and France ?

Didn't those English fascist Nazis burn Washington DC ?

Jefferson and Madison didn't like those Christians fascist Nazis at all.

"During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison

"I may say Christianity itself divided into its thousands also, who are disputing, anathematizing and where the laws permit burning and torturing one another for abstractions which no one of them understand, and which are indeed beyond the comprehension of the human mind." - Thomas Jefferson

[iceman_1960]

"USA Today reports that non-combat U.S. troop deaths have fallen for three years--largely because of fewer vehicle accidents--and account for the smallest percentage of fatalities of any war except the Korean conflict."

I guess this was meant sarcastically.

If you just avoid the IED's, the roads are really safe over there.

[lars008-2009]

With all the so called successes yet this government can't even triumph in the US persecuting these local terrorists. How come they are not sent to Guantanamo.
Posted by andrew_693 at 05:54 PM : Jul 24, 2007

what for??? let's just release them and then take no prisoners next time... hahaha

Surrounded Militant Kills Self In Pakistan
Former Guantanamo Prisoner Returned To Command Militants, Blows Self Up Near Afghan Border
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/24/terror/main3092171.shtml#ccmm

[andrew_693]

the only terrorists in the world that threaten the US are al quaeda, a creation of Reagan and the Republicans in the 80's, the KKK, and the white supremacists that bombed Oklahoma who are still at large....funny how those people are not being hunted with the same passion, and they are armed and ready to overthrow our government under our noses...they bombed numerous clinics, and even the olympic games, they are no different than black september in the munich games. With all the so called successes yet this government can't even triumph in the US persecuting these local terrorists. How come they are not sent to Guantanamo.

[lars008-2009]

Posted by andrew_693 at 04:49 PM : Jul 24, 2007

the coalition forces are heros...
the fascist nazi terrorislam are murderers...

the war is legal

the resumption of hostilities was only a matter of time since iraq broke the ceasefire agreement.....

blame saddam for iraq%u2026%u2026. Even clintoon and the dems wanted the resumption of hostilities back in 1998

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

Moreover, no international law can prevent the United States from taking actions to protect its vital interests, when it is manifestly clear that there is a choice to be made between law and survival. I believe, however, that such a choice is not presented in the case of Iraq. Indeed, should we decide to proceed, that action can be justified within the framework of international law rather than outside it. In fact, though a new UN resolution may be helpful in building international consensus, the existing resolutions from 1991 are sufficient from a legal standpoint. - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/gore/gore092302sp.html

[andrew_693]

these dudes that are dying in iraq are kids who didn't get the grades to go to college and are looking for a free ride but the free ride is coming at a price not worth paying....all this heroe stuff is ridiculous, a hero is someone who faces a superior enemy and still defies them, in this case the iraqui soldiers were heroes bescause they face the invading armies of a world power like the US plus another 19 countries and still fight, even though they get tortured in abu gaib in case of capture, that takes a lot of courage. Reminds me of the french resistance against the nazis. They didn't care if the Gestapo captured them, they fought on till their enemy left.

[lars008-2009]

IT IS TIME TO DEFEAT FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM ONCE AND FOR ALL%u2026

In 1786, Thomas Jefferson, then U.S. ambassador to France, and John Adams, then American Ambassador to Britain, met in London with Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja, the Dey%u2019s ambassador to Britain, in an attempt to negotiate a peace treaty based on Congress%u2019 vote of funding. To Congress, these two future presidents later reported the reasons for the Muslims%u2019 hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous contacts.

%u2026that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Musselman (Muslim) who should be slain in Battle was sure to go to Paradise.

Sound familiar?

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison defeated the fascist nazi muslims 200 years ago
And again 100 years ago with Theodore Roosevelt
Tunisia in 1881 by France and Libya in 1911 by Italy. By then most of the Islamic world was under Christian domination. With the Ottoman Empire defeated in WW1, secularist Turkish rebels in 1923 overthrew the last Islamic Caliphate,
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?6bdec278-6a71-4436-bc4d-29d1c54b0ad7

[randalds]

All these fallen soldiers in Iraq are heroes. Sad, sure its sad to lose a loved one. But, each of these went over there knowing full well what they were getting into. They went over there bravely and proudly doing what others would faint to even consider. Proud of them? You bet I am. I'll shed a tear for them, but its just as much a tear of pride in their honor as sorrow for their loss.

Posted by Hwy71So at 11:00 AM : Jul 24, 2007

They died for nothing. They died in vain. Their lives were cynically thrown away by a president who does not give a dam*n about them or their families or their bravery or sacrifice, only about how much money his friends in the neoconservative movement are making off from this slaughter.

[j-whitman]

I'm listening to Bush speak, on Al Queda now --- He's called every terrorist in America, Iraq, Spain, England & elsewhere Al Queda --
-- Now he is quoting intellegence that says he was wrong & trying to convence us it proves he was right.

[j-whitman]

mudrose,,,, All Crusades ended with withdrawal of occupying forces

[mudrose-2009]

So more and more, the Crusaders are staying in their castles.

Just like last time. Remeber the result?

Regards,
Posted by Nancy_Naive

What, you don't like castles in the sand?

[j-whitman]

mudrose,,,, Looks like our troops will be out by 09 ---- I would call that a major victory for not only democrat's leadership, but a major victory for America.

[liberalme]

Non-Combat deaths in Iraq????

There would be NO deaths there if the war for oil mongers that have run the trust and credibilty of this great America into the ground!

Bush is not misguided, he and Cheney knew exactly what their goals were before they got in.

Any idiot could figure out we would go to Iraq the first chance we got so he could do what his daddie couldn't or wouldn't do.

So is Bush evil? Anyone that would deliberatly put American troops at risk for his own gain---is evil!!!

[mudrose-2009]

What, we aren't going to be defeated? But 75% of the country wants the congress to lose the war. This isn't fair. We don't want good news, that really takes away from Harry's figures. And the saddest thing about that pajama party is that no body wore pajamas. Creeps. Lilly-lived teasing ******.

[marcodele]

"Good news honey! Our son didn't die from non-combat action, it was a combat death!"

"Thanks Sugar. That gives me a 'good news' kind of feeling about the war. And I'm sure the rest of the neocons will be celebrating now."

[j-whitman]

cbscrash07,,,, That's the way you feel about it, bring them home & let them take thier chances on the freeways -- It would be good Family Values
, I believe the KIA count is 3,692 today, with an estemated 760 actual terrorists killed.