Saturday, September 09, 2006

So That’s Why the Death Toll Figure Was Low…

So That’s Why the Death Toll Figure Was Low…

It appeared for a while that the death toll had dropped drastically in Iraq in August, but then word leaked out that the initial numbers were two-thirds too low. We didn’t know why. But it appears we do now: The Pentagon isn’t counting those killed in car bombs or mortar attacks—and it has no good excuse. (h/t: Huff Po)

McClatchy:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. officials, seeking a way to measure the results of a program aimed at decreasing violence in Baghdad, aren’t counting scores of dead killed in car bombings and mortar attacks as victims of the country’s sectarian violence.

In a distinction previously undisclosed, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Johnson said Friday that the United States is including in its tabulations of sectarian violence only deaths of individuals killed in drive-by shootings or by torture and execution.

That has allowed U.S. officials to boast that the number of deaths from sectarian violence in Baghdad declined by more than 52 percent in August over July.
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Got this from Truthdig

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