Comments on: Iraq: Doing the Math http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:59:39 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Russell Newquist http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32234 Russell Newquist Tue, 18 Jan 2005 21:50:35 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32234 Zed, I agree that's probably the case, but it's not how the article read to me. Zed,

I agree that's probably the case, but it's not how the article read to me.

]]> By: LJD http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32220 LJD Tue, 18 Jan 2005 18:56:18 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32220 "And Iraqis don’t like to make attacks on other Iraqis, nor do the foreign volunteers for al Qaeda." They don't? It sure seems like they do... ...and what "foreign volunteers for Al Qaeda"? I thought this was supposed to be a domestic resistance to occupation? Right. "And Iraqis don’t like to make attacks on other Iraqis, nor do the foreign volunteers for al Qaeda."

They don't? It sure seems like they do...
...and what "foreign volunteers for Al Qaeda"? I thought this was supposed to be a domestic resistance to occupation? Right.

]]> By: Winds of Change.NET http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32217 Winds of Change.NET Tue, 18 Jan 2005 18:28:04 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32217 <strong>Pine Bluff and Mosul</strong> Here's a list of MSA's (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) in the United States. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Victoria, TX Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Pine Bluff, AR Laredo, TX Shreveport-Bossier City, LA Richmond, VA ...what's interesting about th... Pine Bluff and Mosul
Here's a list of MSA's (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) in the United States. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Victoria, TX Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Pine Bluff, AR Laredo, TX Shreveport-Bossier City, LA Richmond, VA ...what's interesting about th...

]]> By: bryan http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32211 bryan Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:51:06 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32211 <em>Various reliable sources indicate that there have been at least 20,000 and quite possibly more than 100,000 civilian deaths as a direct result of American military action in Iraq as a whole.</em> Any source that gives you a margin of error of 80,000 is hardly what I'd call reliable, Colin. Various reliable sources indicate that there have been at least 20,000 and quite possibly more than 100,000 civilian deaths as a direct result of American military action in Iraq as a whole.

Any source that gives you a margin of error of 80,000 is hardly what I'd call reliable, Colin.

]]> By: Colin http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32208 Colin Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:43:10 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32208 Some math you're doing there! Your figures don't include either civilians killed or the random violence which exists outside the "war against terror". Kidnappings and murder are apparently soaring out of control and certainly are not included in your astonishly low figures for violent deaths. There is little or no reporting of violence in the provinces - it's more than a little bit dangerous for journalists to leave the Green Zone in downtown Baghdad. Let's face it, Fallujah has been razed and liberated at the same time. It looks like Grozny! Various reliable sources indicate that there have been at least 20,000 and quite possibly more than 100,000 civilian deaths as a direct result of American military action in Iraq as a whole. This equates to dozens, maybe tens of dozens, of civilian casualties every day since the invasion way back in 2003! The notion that somehow everything is actually going quite well in Iraq, and that it is comparable to Thailand for security purposes is quite simply a lie. There have been dozens of reported violent deaths in the Baghdad area alone over the last 24 hours, including heavily armed US troops! Get real. Some math you're doing there! Your figures don't include either civilians killed or the random violence which exists outside the "war against terror". Kidnappings and murder are apparently soaring out of control and certainly are not included in your astonishly low figures for violent deaths. There is little or no reporting of violence in the provinces - it's more than a little bit dangerous for journalists to leave the Green Zone in downtown Baghdad.
Let's face it, Fallujah has been razed and liberated at the same time. It looks like Grozny! Various reliable sources indicate that there have been at least 20,000 and quite possibly more than 100,000 civilian deaths as a direct result of American military action in Iraq as a whole.
This equates to dozens, maybe tens of dozens, of civilian casualties every day since the invasion way back in 2003!
The notion that somehow everything is actually going quite well in Iraq, and that it is comparable to Thailand for security purposes is quite simply a lie. There have been dozens of reported violent deaths in the Baghdad area alone over the last 24 hours, including heavily armed US troops! Get real.

]]> By: James Joyner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32205 James Joyner Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:30:09 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32205 Jim and Russell, Good point on the stats. I presume that "from this violence" is a subset of the overall death rate which has gone up markedly while the overall numbers have remained steady. It could have been written more clearly, however. Surely, what matters is the Iraqi view. It is worth noting, though, that the rates in places off the radar screen is higher. Colombia doesn't surprise me given the narco-terrorism, but I certainly didn't realize the South African rate was higher. Jim and Russell,

Good point on the stats. I presume that "from this violence" is a subset of the overall death rate which has gone up markedly while the overall numbers have remained steady. It could have been written more clearly, however.

Surely, what matters is the Iraqi view. It is worth noting, though, that the rates in places off the radar screen is higher. Colombia doesn't surprise me given the narco-terrorism, but I certainly didn't realize the South African rate was higher.

]]> By: Jim Henley http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32203 Jim Henley Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:06:49 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32203 Okay, this article isn't even intelligible on first read. How can <i>But for a country of 26 million, that comes to a rate of 14-20 dead per 100,000 population per year.</i> and <i>under Saddam, the death rate from crime and government terror was 10-20 dead per 100,000 per year.</i> and <i>It was at that rate a year ago, but the death rate from this violence has nearly tripled since then.</i> be made to make sense together. How is 14-20 per 100,000 thrice 10-20 per 100,000? That's leaving aside the author's quaint notion that what matters is whether someone from StrategyPage considers that a high death rate, as opposed to whether someone from Iraq does. Okay, this article isn't even intelligible on first read. How can

But for a country of 26 million, that comes to a rate of 14-20 dead per 100,000 population per year.

and

under Saddam, the death rate from crime and government terror was 10-20 dead per 100,000 per year.

and

It was at that rate a year ago, but the death rate from this violence has nearly tripled since then.

be made to make sense together. How is 14-20 per 100,000 thrice 10-20 per 100,000?

That's leaving aside the author's quaint notion that what matters is whether someone from StrategyPage considers that a high death rate, as opposed to whether someone from Iraq does.

]]> By: Zed Pobre http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32202 Zed Pobre Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:01:06 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32202 The 14-20 part only covers "anti-government Sunni Arab violence". The death toll from "crime and government terror" all together is now "nearly triple " the 10-20 figure. The 14-20 part only covers "anti-government Sunni Arab violence". The death toll from "crime and government terror" all together is now "nearly triple " the 10-20 figure.

]]> By: Russell Newquist http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/iraq_doing_the_math/comment-page-1/#comment-32200 Russell Newquist Tue, 18 Jan 2005 15:46:16 +0000 /?p=8862#comment-32200 Er... could somebody explain to me how going from "10-20 dead per 100,000" to "14-20 dead per 100,000" constitutes tripling? Er... could somebody explain to me how going from "10-20 dead per 100,000" to "14-20 dead per 100,000" constitutes tripling?

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