Number of Americans killed in Iraq approaching death count from 1991 Gulf

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/07/08/national1538EDT0676.DTL

The Pentagon on Tuesday raised its count of Americans killed by hostile fire in Iraq since the war began in March to 143, a figure that approaches the 147 killed in the 1991 Gulf War.

When President Bush declared major combat operations had ended on May 1, the number killed in action stood at 114. Since then, guerrilla-style attacks have taken another 29 American lives, and Bush as well as U.S. military commanders have said the war is not yet over.

"Rough road behind, rough road ahead," Gen. Tommy Franks, who commanded U.S. forces in the war, said Monday at a ceremony in which he handed over command of the operation to Gen. John Abizaid.

In the latest slayings, a roadside bomb killed one soldier traveling in an Army convoy Monday, and on Sunday night an American was shot to death in a Baghdad gun battle. Also Sunday, a U.S. soldier was shot and killed at close range while drinking a soda at Baghdad University.