Human Death Toll of the Travesty in Iraq
In case anyone wants to still argue that Iraq is better off ...... a new study estimates that the number of Iraqi's killed as a direct result of the US-led invasion is over 600,000, or 2.5% of the population of Iraq! That dwarfs all other estimates including that of Iraq Body Count who estimates an upper limit of less than 50,000. This report was also published in the medical journal, The Lancet. The study suggests that while 100,000 died after the first year of the invasion, the occupation since 2004 has seen an additional 5-fold increase.
A group of social scientists at Johns Hopkins University led by Les Roberts have completed a new poll of households in Iraq, which updates a previous study they undertook over a year ago. This study is financed by MIT and was done in collaboration with a group of Iraqi experts and doctors who have conducted numerous polls for various US-based polling outfits. The effort is financed by MIT.
Needless to say, the Bush administration and other war-hawks claim that the study grossly exaggerates the "collateral damage" resulting from coalition forces action, as well as insurgent violence. They are crying foul claiming that the release of the study now is nothing but a political ploy. Well, at least, people may stop talking about the Foley fiasco - if that is their silver lining. But, seriously, one must wonder why they might find 50,000 a more acceptable a number. In fact, is it even acceptable to discredit bad news just because it can be cast as having been divulged for political points? Does that mean that the news should be of less concern? Is it better that we don't know it?
On a CNN interview, John Zogby (of Zogby International), a leading US-based pollster, said today that, in his view, the methodology used by the study group was sound. He also endorsed the Iraqi experts who were part of the study effort saying that his company has relied on them, as well, in the past.
The bottom line is that no serious person can accept the low death figures being touted by the Bush administration unless they are either asleep or delusional. With 100 bodies showing up in Baghdad alone on a daily basis, anyone can do the math.
It is time for the US and the world to take a deep hard look both in our hearts and minds. What is happening in Iraq is not only sad, it is criminal.
By the way, BBC has an excellent Bush opinion poll tracker covering the past 6 years (US media could really learn a couple things from their Brit allies).
A group of social scientists at Johns Hopkins University led by Les Roberts have completed a new poll of households in Iraq, which updates a previous study they undertook over a year ago. This study is financed by MIT and was done in collaboration with a group of Iraqi experts and doctors who have conducted numerous polls for various US-based polling outfits. The effort is financed by MIT.
Needless to say, the Bush administration and other war-hawks claim that the study grossly exaggerates the "collateral damage" resulting from coalition forces action, as well as insurgent violence. They are crying foul claiming that the release of the study now is nothing but a political ploy. Well, at least, people may stop talking about the Foley fiasco - if that is their silver lining. But, seriously, one must wonder why they might find 50,000 a more acceptable a number. In fact, is it even acceptable to discredit bad news just because it can be cast as having been divulged for political points? Does that mean that the news should be of less concern? Is it better that we don't know it?
On a CNN interview, John Zogby (of Zogby International), a leading US-based pollster, said today that, in his view, the methodology used by the study group was sound. He also endorsed the Iraqi experts who were part of the study effort saying that his company has relied on them, as well, in the past.
The bottom line is that no serious person can accept the low death figures being touted by the Bush administration unless they are either asleep or delusional. With 100 bodies showing up in Baghdad alone on a daily basis, anyone can do the math.
It is time for the US and the world to take a deep hard look both in our hearts and minds. What is happening in Iraq is not only sad, it is criminal.
By the way, BBC has an excellent Bush opinion poll tracker covering the past 6 years (US media could really learn a couple things from their Brit allies).
Labels: Human Rights, Iraq
posted by Dahlia at 12:58 PM
8 Comments:
:(
I feel sad rti.
.هو وقت أن ينتقم نا إخوان وأخوات
Perhaps?
It was dismissed as wrong, without really an explanation or alternative.
This is an interview with the pollsters.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/12/145222
I'm having a discussion at my blog, I believe you have strong opinions about on what is fascism.
I know democracynow.org and their people since I live in Vegas: I produce documentaries in the US, just to let you know, and I am in touch with them. My next documentary is going to be about the "hamas" and the "muslim brotherhood", since I know the founders of the Hamas and the expatriated people from the Muslim Brotherhood, but I can't get out of the US right now, although the french interior ministry has been warned about my whereabouts, and has asked the Bush administration why I have been stuck in the US without the right to travel: I won't change my mind about the Bush administration, and some french journalists in the US betrayed me when I denounced the french government to authorize deportations of Muslims from France. I will never contradict my opinions for this case, despite threats, never ever.
Dahlia is a fair woman, and I encourage her to write as a muslim/american woman. My father met Dahlia's father a few decades ago.
Hey guys - Thanks for visiting me here. I appreciate your comments.
D
Cheers rti!
Well Ren. you should link my sister on your own blog :)
You are statistically more likey to be killed in Washinton D.C than in Baghdad.
If you extrapulate the population in a 'Poll' in D.C. to 300 million living in U.S., you would have about 2 million a year killed by gunfire???
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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