'07 U.S. Troops' Deadliest Year In Iraq

Violence Slowed In Second Half Of Year; 899 American Died Overall

(AP)  The second half of 2007 saw violence drop dramatically in Iraq, but the progress came at a high price: The year was the deadliest for the U.S. military since the 2003 invasion, with 899 troops killed.

American commanders and diplomats, however, say the battlefield gains against insurgents such as al Qaeda in Iraq offer only a partial picture of where the country stands as the war moves toward its five-year mark in March.

Two critical shifts that boosted U.S.-led forces in 2007 - a self-imposed cease-fire by a main Shiite militia and a grassroots Sunni revolt against extremists - could still unravel unless serious unity efforts are made by the Iraqi government.

Iran also remains a major wild card. U.S. officials believe the neighboring country has helped quiet Iraq by reducing its flow of suspected aid to Shiite fighters, including materials needed for deadly roadside bombs.

But Iran's apparent hands-off policies could come under strain as Shiite factions - some favoring Iran, others not - battle for control of Iraq's oil-rich south.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, will increasingly look to the uneven Iraqi security forces to carry the load in 2008 as demands for an American exit strategy grow sharper during the U.S. presidential election year.

Britain, the main U.S. coalition partner in Iraq, is gradually drawing down its forces and other allies, including Poland and Australia, are contemplating full-scale withdrawals in the coming year.

"We're focusing our energy on building on what coalition and Iraqi troopers have accomplished in 2007," Gen. David Petraeus told a group of Western journalists on Saturday. "Success will not, however, be akin to flipping on a light switch. It will emerge slowly and fitfully, with reverses as well as advances, accumulating fewer bad days and gradually more good days."

That arc of progress played out in the raw statistics of U.S. and Iraqi casualties.

American military deaths peaked in May with 126 troops killed. It was then that the U.S. began ramping up its attacks against insurgent strongholds, leading to increased clashes in Baghdad and other key areas across central Iraq.

Seven months on, commanders and analysts say America's aggressive strategy of targeting al Qaeda in Iraq strongholds is paying off: U.S. casualties have dropped sharply. As of Sunday night in Baghdad, 21 deaths were reported in December, one more than in February 2004, which was the lowest monthly total of the war.

The 899 deaths in 2007 surpassed the previously highest death toll in 2004, when 850 U.S. soldiers were killed. The total for 2007 could rise slightly; occasionally the military reports new casualties a few days after they occur. The military reported the non-combat related death of a soldier on Sunday.

At least 3,902 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the war. Of those, at least 3,175 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

Iraqi civilian deaths have tracked that decline and overall violence across the country is down roughly 60 percent, American commanders say.

Since the influx of some 30,000 U.S. troops that began in June, the lessening violence has meant that new problems have emerged.

"There certainly are ample challenges out there in the new year. In some respects, the positive developments in the latter half of 2007 also represent the challenges of 2008," U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said during a recent briefing.

An example, Crocker said, is how the improving security situation is in part luring back Iraqis who took refuge in neighboring Syria, Jordan and elsewhere.

"The return of refugees - a good thing obviously, but a process is going to have to be carefully managed so that it doesn't sow the seeds of new tension and instability," he said.

Along with the increase in American troops, Iraq's lessening violence has been attributed to a self-imposed freeze on activities by the Mahdi Army - the militia of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Another important change was the quick growth of mostly Sunni anti-al Qaeda in Iraq groups, or "awakening councils," who once fought against U.S. and Iraqi forces but now point their guns toward the insurgents.

Of the more than 70,000 fighters in the awakening councils, only 20 percent are expected to be absorbed into the Iraqi security forces. The rest are to receive job training through a joint $300 million (euro204 million) program Iraqi and American officials are creating.

That program is in its beginning stages and there are few details about how it will be carried out, but analysts say it must succeed or the Sunni fighters who do not join Iraq's military may sell their services to the insurgents.

On Saturday, a new audiotape by Osama bin Laden warned Iraqi Sunnis against fighting al Qaeda, saying "the most evil of the traitors are those who trade away their religion for the sake of their mortal life."

Keeping the militia of al-Sadr and other powerful Shiite leaders on the sidelines also means keeping Iran to its promise to halt the flow of weapons and training to them, officials say.

"How lasting a phenomenon that will be and how Iran will define and play its role in Iraq in 2008 I think is going to be very important to the long-term future of the country," Crocker said.

Iraqi civilian deaths also peaked in May with 2,155 killed. That fell to 718 in November and 710 in December. For the year, 18,610 Iraqis were killed. In 2006, the only other full year an AP count has been tallied, 13,813 civilians were killed.

Civilian deaths are compiled by the AP from hospital, police and military officials, as well as accounts from reporters and photographers. Insurgent deaths were not included. Other counts differ and some have given higher civilian death tolls.

Those numbers paint an increasingly optimistic picture, but James Carafano, a security expert with the Heritage Foundation think-tank in Washington, D.C., warned dangers lurk.

"The number of people who have the power to turns things around appears to be dwindling," he said regarding extremists. "But there are still people in Iraq that could string together a week of really bad days."

While that might not mean a return to the bloodiest moments of the Iraq war, Carafano said it could seriously rattle the Iraqi government as it tries to bring about some form of political reconciliation in 2008, a key to long-term security.

"People have to be really careful about over-promising that this is an irreversible trend - I think it is a soft trend," he said of the declining violence.

Carafano pointed to the problem of integrating the Sunni awakening councils into Iraqi society and keeping the Shiite militias out of the fight. If either of those situations changes, he said, increased bloodshed in the country is likely.

Those warnings in mind, Carafano said he thought the "surge" in U.S. troops had to a large extent met one of its important goals: to allow the Iraqi government to focus on questions of governance instead of dealing only with security.

He likened the increase in troops to the Marshall Plan that largely rebuilt Europe after World War II and demonstrated U.S. commitment to that continent.

"I think the surge made that statement to Iraqis," Carafano said. "Here's America, fighting an unpopular war and things aren't going so well and we turn around and send more troops in. To the good guys and the bad guys is was a reaffirmation that Americans aren't going to walk away from this."

[j-whitman]

NameVerified,,,, If you didn''t understand that, let me give you one from your own peer group.

http://www.myspacecomedy.com/images/funny/kid-middle-finger.jpg

[j-whitman]

NameVerified --- Here''s what the world, our troops & the majority of our nation thinks about you Bush Lovers

http://www.bluehatseo.com/images/middle_finger_flame.jpg

[hiproductions--2008]

Its funny to see this bias even when most real news agencies are reporting the drastic drop off in violence
and death in Iraq, CBS, home of Dan Rather, decides to report the negative "deadliest year" angle.

Liberal bias in the media and especially CBS

Here''s an article I wrote about News Bias:

http://www.helium.com/tm/460920/persuasion-mediathe-television-media

It would be nice if the editors at CBS would read this and learn from it. News reporting does not have to feature an "angle"

http://www.hiproductions.com

[mrconservatv]

Libs can already been seen on Iraq news blogs desperately trying to change the subject away from Iraq to other issues

Posted by NameVerified at 08:29 PM : Dec 31, 2007

Posted by NameVerified at 01:07 PM : Jan 01, 2008

Contradicting yourself again

[mrconservatv]

Posted by NameVerified at 01:07 PM : Jan 01, 2008

Poor ole nameverified you and bagdadbob just can''t come to grips with reality.

01/01/2008
Suicide Bomb at Baghdad Funeral Kills 32

[sgtrds]

To Bush they are just numbers. He and Cheney do not see our troops as real living breathing human beings, just as cannon fodder for their insane dreams.

[samsel3]

Nothing has changed on Iran. The administrations interest in Iran & nukes is a smoke screen for their real agenda. Their true interests are Cheney''s energy policy.Condi Rice is a former board member of Chevron Oil and mouthpiece for the administrations energy policy. Part of that policy is the The Caspian Sea pipeline which will go through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan,Pakistan, to the gulf of Oman or on to India & Nepal.It will be cheaper to construct if they can go through Iran, but regime change is necessary first. The Caspian sea area holds one third of the world''s oil and south asian oil markets are their target market. This pipeline was also the reason for the Afghanistan invasion. Cheney''s energy policy is the root of all these middle east wars, a federal court judge sealed all documents associated with it for the administration, and the national media are not allowed to discuss or comment on it. More troops are needed in Afghanistan to protect the contractors building the pipeline. Iran stands in the way of total control of global oil now with sales of oil to China''s Sinopec Oil,deal signed Dec.10,2007. Months ago China said there would be dire consequences if the US interfered with there direct oil contracts with Iran. Both parties in the Congress should be very concerned with China''s growing war machine and need for oil. They are the real threat & the administration doesn''t care they are in control!!! All that matters to them is BIG OIL and their corporate stock portfolios

[samsel3]

Iraq''s oil infrastructure was rebuilt when Cheney controlled Haliburton. Halliburton/Iraq deal was done through the French because it was illegal for US companies to deal with Iraq, except for the oil for food program which US oil companies participated in. Saddam was charging US interests more for oil then other countries and cutting off supplies at times so they took him out.

[samsel3]

Reuters UK December 30, 2007 Reports: "Bin Laden says U.S. seeks to exploit Iraqi Oil". OBL states: "America seeks, alongside it''s agents in the region, to create an allied government...that would accept in advance the presence of major U.S. bases in Iraq and give the Americans all they wish of Iraqi Oil.

[samsel3]

On September 14,2002 Rep. James McDermott at a Capitol Hill Briefing said that politics and oil, not fear that Iraq will use WMD are driving factors behind the presidents call for regime change. McDermott said there was an organized effort to squelch such discussions. "The political operatives in the white house have been very careful to spin it away from oil. Anytime anybody sees a connection they spin it the other way".
Who''''s in charge of the National Media outlets? Why does the administration spin the news and prevent journalists from covering the real agenda? The administration cloaks the truth under the veil of national security. On September 14,2002 Rep. James McDermott said: "Political operatives in the white house have been very careful to spin it away from oil. Anytime anyone sees a connection they spin it the other way".

[mrconservatv]

Libs can already been seen on Iraq news blogs desperately trying to change the subject away from Iraq to other issues, because there isn''''t as much misery to celebrate in Iraq as there used to be.


Posted by NameVerified at 08:29 PM : Dec 31, 2007


Of course you and Bagdadbob will rejoice over what scraps you can find of positive news but the reality for millions of Iraq''s in 08 paints an even grimmer picture of things to come.

But now the U.S.-backed Iraqi government has announced it will halve the essential items in the ration because of "insufficient funds and spiraling inflation."

The cuts, which are to be introduced in the beginning of 2008, have drawn widespread criticism. The Iraqi government is unable to supply the rations with several billion dollars at its disposal, whereas Saddam Hussein was able to maintain the programme with less than a billion dollars.


The trade ministry is now preparing to slash the list of subsidized items by half to five basic food items, "namely flour, sugar, rice, oil, and infant milk," Hanoun said.

The imminent move will affect nearly 10 million people who depend on the rationing system. But it has already caused outrage in Baquba, 40 km northeast of Baghdad.

[joyous88]

US casualties in Afghanistan have also hit a record high, do you really think the surge is working?, lets all support the troops by sending some more Americans over there, not contractors we have enough of those, lets get some poor blacks from harlem and some bubbas from applachia, you know some 17 year olds, remember when most of us went off to vietnam????

well, except for Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Krystol, Wolfowitz, Rice, HEY! did I mmiss anyone??

[mrconservatv]

Posted by NameVerified at 08:18 PM : Dec 31, 2007

GOP GOLD OIL PROFIT PARTY NEEDS TO FIND SOME NEW CANIDATES

Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington%u2019s %u201CTen Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians%u201D for 2007

. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY): Giuliani came under fire in late 2007 after it was discovered the former New York mayor%u2019s office %u201Cbilled obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons%u2026%u201D ABC News also reported that Giuliani provided Nathan with a police vehicle and a city driver at taxpayer expense. All of this news came on the heels of the federal indictment on corruption charges of Giuliani%u2019s former Police Chief and business partner Bernard Kerik,


6. Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR): Governor Huckabee enjoyed a meteoric rise in the polls in December 2007, which prompted a more thorough review of his ethics record. According to The Associated Press: %u201C[Huckabee%u2019s] career has also been colored by 14 ethics complaints and a volley of questions about his integrity, ranging from his management of campaign cash to his use of a nonprofit organization to subsidize his income to his destruction of state computer files on his way out of the governor%u2019s office.%u201D

[mrconservatv]

Posted by j-whitman at 08:17 PM : Dec 31, 2007

Have a safe one, see you in 2008

[j-whitman]

Good night folks & a safe one -- Happy New Year

[j-whitman]

NameVerified,,, They have that same celibration every year, don''t they ???? I understand people don''t want to see the bad news, but if they dont, how can they get the picture ???

[mrconservatv]

But now the U.S.-backed Iraqi government has announced it will halve the essential items in the ration because of "insufficient funds and spiralling inflation."

The cuts, which are to be introduced in the beginning of 2008, have drawn widespread criticism. The Iraqi government is unable to supply the rations with several billion dollars at its disposal, whereas Saddam Hussein was able to maintain the programme with less than a billion dollars.

"In 2007, we asked for 3.2 billion dollars for rationing basic foodstuffs," Mohammed Hanoun, Iraq''s chief of staff for the ministry of trade told al-Jazeera. "But since the prices of imported foodstuff doubled in the past year, we requested 7.2 billion dollars for this year. That request was denied."

The trade ministry is now preparing to slash the list of subsidised items by half to five basic food items, "namely flour, sugar, rice, oil, and infant milk," Hanoun said.

The imminent move will affect nearly 10 million people who depend on the rationing system. But it has already caused outrage in Baquba, 40 km northeast of Baghdad.


WEE LIFE IS GOOOOOOOOOOD

[j-whitman]

And they also say handling the influx of refuges could easly turn into a much worst problem it''s a delicate balancing act. ----
----- Delicate balancing act, that about is the best term for describing the situation in Iraq

[mrconservatv]

But now the U.S.-backed Iraqi government has announced it will halve the essential items in the ration because of "insufficient funds and spiralling inflation."

The cuts, which are to be introduced in the beginning of 2008, have drawn widespread criticism. The Iraqi government is unable to supply the rations with several billion dollars at its disposal, whereas Saddam Hussein was able to maintain the programme with less than a billion dollars.

[mrconservatv]

People in Baquba, living with violence and joblessness for long, are now preparing for this new twist.

"No security, no food, no electricity, no trade, no services. So life is good," said one resident, who would not give his name.

http://uruknet.info/?p=m39578&hd=&size=1&l=e


Mission Accomplished - Iraqis Now Starving