Death and Politics
Dadmanly, with a soldier’s take on numbers that indicate the death rate in Iraq is less than the military peacetime death rate from training accidents and other causes.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 1:05 pm on Wednesday, February 21, 2007
9 Responses to “Death and Politics”
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February 21st, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Waiting for the obligatory alphie non sequitor comment in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,….
February 21st, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Actually, I made the same point in the fourth reply to Jules’ “Heroes and Cowards” post (obligatory tooting of my own horn-TOOT, TOOT) in which Jules linked to Alicia Colon’s work (I even had the same DOD link).
However, in order to make apples to apples comparisons you have to look at both total military deaths and total military FTE, which is a means of measuring how many reservists can be counted as on active duty, but not part of the active force. The link doesn’t do the math, but the rate is somewhat higher during 2003 and 2004 than previously, but not tremendously higher.
Regardless, being in the service is an inherently dangerous profession. And the correspondent to The Corner is perfectly correct that the MSM has failed to offer any perspective.
February 21st, 2007 at 2:26 pm
No conclusions or opinion at this end for exactly that reason, Cav, as I have not looked at that entire picture.
February 21st, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Now, now, how do you expect the pols to make political hay by presenting ALL the facts.
Regardless of the numbers, we are at war. Talking about numbers is an equivocation indulged in so that our attention is diverted from a real debate about that fact, which would mean an overt statement of the avocation of defeat, not of George Bush, but of the U.S. armed forces and the nation as a whole.
February 21st, 2007 at 5:38 pm
That used to be the joke around the FOB campfire; how many single “joes” would be dead or in jail were we not currently deployed. Young, single infantrymen and Marines have a tendency toward risky/irresponsible behavior in their off time when on stateside duty.
You see it especially when your unit rotates back home and there are hordes of new privates there waiting for you that have been couped up in basic training for the last 4-5 months. They create absolute havoc when they arrive at their first unit, especially when it’s been deployed and there’s very little command & control in the rear detachments.
A friend of mine recently handpicked his entire squad of new guys, only to have them all volunteer as replacements for our sister brigade that took our place in Iraq. New guys always feel inadequate around a bunch of veterans who have even less tolerance for their FNG ignorance than usual. So they’re anxious to become “one of us” and always end up racing toward the fight.
But they’re chances of survival of no worse over there than they are back here. A certain percentage of these young punks are guaranteed to get in deadly bar fights or motorcycle wrecks over the course of a year if they were stateside. It’s a fact. I’ve seen it every year I’ve been up here.
Buck Sargent
Ft. Richardson
U.S. Army Alaska
February 21st, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Stay warm Buck Sargent.
Thank all of you for being, just being. Those of whom have served. Those who are about to. Those to whom injury have become part of their lives. And of course, those that have given all. That includes the years this country of ours, came to be, fractured, and came to be, again.
February 21st, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Thank you, El Cid, for doing righteous battle against the Moors
February 21st, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Holy Toledo, Jules. There were a plenty that thought me a Moron. All that spoke that, were told Granada here, I’m only doing my Seville duty…:).
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:24 am
All you guys, watch yer top-knot. Where would we be without ye?