Are the U.S. Casualties in Iraq a political issue?

tboullett

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Sun Aug-17-03 07:57 AM
Original message

Are the U.S. Casualties in Iraq a political issue?

Daily U.S. Casualties
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
8/17/2003

As of Saturday, 268 U.S. soldiers have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the military.

The British government has reported 45 deaths.

On or since May 1, when President Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq had ended, 130 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq, according to the latest military figures.

The latest casualties reported by the U.S. military:

An American soldier was wounded by shrapnel Saturday when a patrol was ambushed near Baqouba, 45 miles northeast of Baghdad.
There were no new identifications Saturday.

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mcd1982

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Sun Aug-17-03 08:03 AM
Response to Original message

1. Not that I'm an expert...

But I would venture to guess "no". During Vietnam we had hundreds dying a week, and it didn't hurt the election of Johnson, or the reelection of Nixon, even after he had a "secret plan" to get us out of the war.

Just my two cents...

Matthew

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virtualobserver

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Sun Aug-17-03 08:07 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. I do think that the acceptable number is lower now.......

than it was in Vietnam, but I don't know what that number would be.

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NJCher

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Sun Aug-17-03 08:07 AM
Response to Reply #1

3. during the war we did not have instant communication

The I'net has revolutionized the way political protests are organized.

Cher

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Feanorcurufinwe

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Sun Aug-17-03 01:00 PM
Response to Reply #3

9. also during Vietnam, we did not yet have the lesson of Vietnam

Lessons that BushCo has ignored. But most of the electorate remembers Vietnam and its lessons, and yes, the casualties in Iraq, combined with the lies and corruption that precipitated the war in the first place, will be a major issue.

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ayeshahaqqiqa

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Sun Aug-17-03 08:14 AM
Response to Original message

4. To the families of those injured or killed, yes

And to the military families who fear their loved one could be next. That's why we see websites like http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org and http://www.bringthemhomenow.org

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Cocoa

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Sun Aug-17-03 11:22 AM
Response to Original message

5. by themselves they're not an issue

If the mission is seen as important, people can tolerate many more casualties than we're seeing.

But I think they could become an issue if people begin to see them as unnecessay deaths, like if people start to see how poor the planning was, or if people begin to doubt why we're there.

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AntiCoup2K4

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Sun Aug-17-03 12:10 PM
Response to Original message

6. The issue should be....

....that the casualties are the direct result of an illegal fraudministration launching an illegal invasion of another country for no valid reason, and actually expecting to be welcomed with cards and flowers, as is clearly spelled out in the PNAC doctrine.

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caledesi

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Sun Aug-17-03 12:32 PM
Response to Reply #6

8. Exactly!

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DrFunkenstein

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Sun Aug-17-03 12:12 PM
Response to Original message

7. When They Drag Their Feet On Getting UN Support, Yes

Take the bullseyes off the soldiers' helmets!

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samsingh

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Sun Aug-17-03 01:06 PM
Response to Original message

10. tragic

they are tragic all around.

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tboullett

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Sun Aug-17-03 08:54 PM
Response to Reply #10

11. The lack of replies, answers the question

The lack of replies, answers the question. No it isn't an issue.

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