Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 6, 2008 8:20:07 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

Back to the grid

US Wrestles With Defining Iraq Deaths

Posted Sep 25, 07 1:17 PM CDT in World,  US    Editor's Choice

(Newser) – For military analysts, a shooting victim in Iraq hasn’t necessarily fallen prey to sectarian violence. Instead, teams analyze each killing for signs it was ethnically motivated, compiling statistics the Bush administration has relied on to show progress in Iraq. Victims who were tortured, shot once in the head, or taken to body dumps are included; others are not.

As critics questioned statistics, the military sought greater transparency, releasing its methodology. It also began including victims of suicide and vehicle bombings, causing a big spike in the latest report, the Washington Post reports. The intelligence community and the Government Accountability Office both offer less optimistic statistics. “It’s not perfect,” one soldier says. “It’s an analyst making an analyst’s call.”

Source Washington Post

Editor Recommended

Related Links

Related News

  • Bush Backs Petraeus' Pause

    Apr 10, 08 12:22 PM CDT
    Bush Backs Petraeus' Pause Vowing that Gen. David Petraeus will have “all the time he needs” in Iraq, President Bush today announced a pause, from August until at least mid-September, in withdrawal of troops from Iraq, CNN reports. Citing the post-surge security gains, Bush said, “we have renewed and revived the prospect of success” in a war he characterized as “difficult, not endless.” More »

  • On Iraq, Petraeus Has Bush's Ear

    Apr 6, 08 1:10 PM CDT
    On Iraq, Petraeus Has Bush's Ear George Bush and top Iraq commander David Petraeus have a close relationship unusual for wartime presidencies, the Washington Post reports. The president skips over several middlemen, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, to speak directly and regularly with Petraeus, and has fully deferred to the general on controversial Iraq decisions. But some top officials worry that the views of one man are trumping their own. More »

  • New US Mideast Commander Installed

    Mar 29, 08 8:58 AM CDT
    New US Mideast Commander Installed A new commander has taken temporary charge of US military operations in the Mideast, after a quiet ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida yesterday. Lt. Gen Martin Dempsey will run CentCom while the administration seeks a permanent replacement for Adm. William Fallon, who quit abruptly earlier this month amid media reports that he was opposed to President Bush's policy on Iran, the St. Petersburg Times reports. More »

  • Bush Praises Iraqi Offensive

    Mar 27, 08 4:47 PM CDT
    Bush Praises Iraqi Offensive President Bush praised the government of Iraq today for the offensive launched three days ago against militias in Basra, painting it as a sign of progress toward the goals of the US war, the AP reports. Bush also criticized Congress for calling for troop withdrawals so the military’s attention could be turned to anti-terrorism efforts elsewhere, such as Afghanistan. More »

  • Americans Blame War for Economic Woes: Poll

    Mar 19, 08 1:31 PM CDT
    Americans Blame War for Economic Woes: Poll The Iraq war and the current economic crisis aren’t unrelated issues in the minds of most Americans, a CNN poll finds. 71% said the war, which began five years ago today, helped cause the economic storm. Just 32% support the mission, with 61% saying the new president should withdraw most troops “within a few months of taking office.” More »

U.S. Commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus talks to The Associated Press during an interview at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)   (Associated Press)
Democratic Presidential hopeful, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., questions Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on the future course...   (Associated Press)
Charts are on display for the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing during the opening statement of Gen. David Petraeus on the future course of the war in Iraq, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007....   (Associated Press)
prev    next
play

Threads (1 of 1)

Tags

Iraq  • George W. Bush  • Bush administration  • David Petraeus  • sectarian violence  • statistics


Loading...

Loading...

Next story from this section »

Today's Most Popular


Other US Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »