U.S. Casualties Increase in Iraq (Deadly Action Moves Beyond Baghdad Area)

[Hissyspit]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

U.S. casualties increase in Iraq
DEADLY ACTION MOVES BEYOND BAGHDAD AREA
By Nancy A. Youssef
McClatchy Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - The U.S. death toll in Iraq increased in January, ending a four-month drop in casualties, and most of the deaths occurred outside Baghdad or the once-restive Al-Anbar province, according to military statistics.

In all, 38 American service members had been reported killed in January by Thursday evening, compared with 23 in December. Of those, 33 died from hostile action, but only nine of them in Baghdad or Al-Anbar.

A total of 3,942 American service members have been killed in Iraq as of Thursday, according to icasualties.org, an independent Web site that tracks the statistics.

U.S. officials in Iraq said the death toll had risen because the military was targeting armed groups that had been driven out of Baghdad and Al-Anbar by the increase in American troops.

In January, the military launched a major offensive in northeastern Diyala province, where nine service members were killed. In addition, the United States moved troops to the northwestern Ninevah province, which has become an Al-Qaida in Iraq stronghold. Seven service members were killed there in January, compared with four in December.

The fact that more Americans have been killed in those provinces has some fretting that the United States is fighting another round of "whack-a-mole," a term that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., once used to describe chasing insurgents and terrorists from one part of Iraq to another.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_8137255?nclick_check=1

[acmavm]

1. We had 38 military casualties in January? Well, someone better

inform the NUY, the WP, and Faux. They think things are just hunky dory.

[mwb970]

2. 38 is the new zero.

As long as the death rate is lower than some earlier number, we are "making progress".

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Move along. Nothing to worry about here. I am perfectly safe." - Commander AWOL

"That's right, you Little People need not get your panties in a bunch about this, because I, your illustrious War Profiteer in Chief, am perfectly safe here at home, sleeping on silk sheets, eating the finest of gourmet delicacies, and totally shielded by my Republicon Homelander Comfort Bubble. As ususal. I did suffer a hangnail the other day, but the team of ten top surgeons who attended to me say that I should recover fully and be able to enjoy the fruits of my, um, hard work. Thank you for your concern.

"Oooops, almost forgot my republicon homelander chickenhawk propaganda talking point: 'too bad about all YOUR dead and maimed sons and daughters in uniform. That's just a real crying shame..."

- Commmander AWOL

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Five in one incident, details on pg. 56, behind the do-it-yourself tips

Shameful.