2,000 U.S. Soldier Deaths in Iraq

The U.S. military death toll in the Iraq war reached 2,000 with the announcements Tuesday of three more deaths.

U.S. Military Deaths Reach 2,000 in Iraq

It’s a damn shame that something our troops have worked so hard for should get short-shrift in favor of stories glorifying the deaths of the troops themselves.

Say Anything – North Dakota’s Most Popular Political Blog

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Boylan, director of the force’s combined press center, described the number as an “artificial mark on the wall.”

“I ask that when you report on the events, take a moment to think about the effects on the families and those serving in Iraq,” Boylan said in an e-mail. “The 2,000 service members killed in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom is not a milestone. It is an artificial mark on the wall set by individuals or groups with specific agendas and ulterior motives.”

WRAL.com – AP National News – Military: 2,000 Dead An Artificial Mark

But only slightly more than 1500 have actually died from hostile fire. More than 400 military members have died due to non-combat causes. And not all of the almost 2000 deaths have actually happened in Iraq. If a military member dies in the AOR, on orders for OIF, his/her death is counted towards “the milestone of 2,000 U.S. military deaths in Iraq”.

The Big 2K: The Coming Media Myth 

Never underestimate MoveOn.org’s willingness to capitalize on death. They are running an ad highlighting two thousand soliders who have died while in service in Iraq (not necessarily as a result of combat) and, of course, asking for money to help them run the ad.

RedState.org