Body counts (1 Viewer)

[Goobieman]

Because oif the stigma attached to them thru the Vietnam experience, the US givernment has been reluctant to release official counts of the number of bad guys we kill/capture in Iraq and Afghanistan.

There is, however, apparently no problem with using the number of dead to illustrate how badly the war is going -- dead GIs and Iraqi civilians make headlines and are mentioned in the first few minutes of enery news broadcasts.

So, it appears that the number of dead IS a valid yarsstick by which to judge the state of the war.

Should the US government release daly the number of insurgets we have killed/captured and when doing so, metion th erunning total of each?

If not, why not?

 

[Gibberish]

Yes the numbers should be released. We should know both sides of the death tolls.

 

[shuamort]

I believe in keeping the government accountable for its actions. Daily, however seems like a bureaucratic nightmare. How about monthly with stats listing injured/killed/captured.

 

[Goobieman]

I believe in keeping the government accountable for its actions. Daily, however seems like a bureaucratic nightmare. How about monthly with stats listing injured/killed/captured.

We keep track of and release the number of our dead/wounded dailly. Certainly, we can do the same for the enemy.

 

[Topsez]

I voted yes but I worry if we presented the counts the left would feel sorry for the underequipped freedom fighters and want us to tie one hand behind our back until they thought it was a more fair fight.

 

[Morrow]

Regardless of propaganda purposes, that information should be released in the interested of openness. That is, ensuring we know how our wars are being fought. Transparency is necessary to a Democratic government, and number of kills does not compromise security.

 

[Flea]

Should the US government release daly the number of insurgets we have killed/captured and when doing so, metion th erunning total of each?

Yes. It is important to know this for a variety of reasons, including to let the American people understand that they are/might be reducing the terrorist/bad guy population and that our troops are not dying/struggling in vain.

 

[Kandahar]

Yes, I'm all for access to more information. But it's harder to know how many enemies were killed than how many of your own soldiers were killed, so the numbers would be fundamentally less accurate.

 

[jamesrage]

Regardless of propaganda purposes, that information should be released in the interested of openness. That is, ensuring we know how our wars are being fought. Transparency is necessary to a Democratic government, and number of kills does not compromise security.

So airing troop and civilian deaths daily on tv like no one has ever died in a war before is not propaganda,but stating how many bad guys our troops captured or killed is propaganda?

 

[Hatuey]

So airing troop and civilian deaths daily on tv like no one has ever died in a war before is not propaganda,but stating how many bad guys our troops captured or killed is propaganda?

It's harder to keep count of enemy casualties. I dont think the soldiers in Iraq keep count of how many people they kill during gun battles.

 

[Goobieman]

It's harder to keep count of enemy casualties. I dont think the soldiers in Iraq keep count of how many people they kill during gun battles.

Thats what you do after the battle. Such information is generally included in an after-action report.

You'll never be 100% sure of how many are killed because you cant be 100% sure you found all the bodies -- but you CAN count the dead bodies you DO and report them.

Sure, the number will be lower than the actual number of KIA, but that's OK.

 

[Saboteur]

http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,79440,00.html

Those same commanders have reported that some 1,300 insurgents have been killed since the end of January 2005 and another 8,260 have been detained.

But wait! Before you declare the war over, consider this: Gen. John Abizaid, the head of the U.S. Central Command, said on Oct. 2 that he estimates that there now are 20,000 insurgents.

So let's do a little math: Five thousand insurgents minus 1,300 killed equals 3,700 left. Minus 8,260 insurgents captured. Equals 20,000 insurgents still out there.

Hmmm.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...AR2005102301273.html?nav=rss_email/components

The Pentagon says its policy is still to try to avoid publicizing enemy body counts. But the U.S. military command in Baghdad does keep a running tally of enemy dead that is classified, and field commanders now have authority to release death tolls for isolated engagements in the interest, officials said, of countering enemy propaganda and conveying the size and presumed effectiveness of some U.S. military operations.

"For a discrete operation, it's a metric that can help convey magnitude and context," said Bryan Whitman, a senior Pentagon spokesman.

The release of such figures also can serve to boost the morale of U.S. forces and bolster confidence "that their plans and weapons work effectively," said Marine Lt. Col.

I vote yes.