Comments on: War Making Headlines, but Peace Breaks Out http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/ A weblog for people who otherwise wouldn't. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:24:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: John Wilson http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-324 John Wilson Tue, 31 Aug 2004 14:40:00 +0000 http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-324 Victor Davis Hanson, not Vicor. WordPress chokes on the comment when I edit it because it's not escaping 's very well. Victor Davis Hanson, not Vicor. WordPress chokes on the comment when I edit it because it’s not escaping ’s very well.

]]> By: John Wilson http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-323 John Wilson Tue, 31 Aug 2004 14:34:28 +0000 http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-323 Well, they said combat deaths. I don't think victims of truck bombs count as combat deaths. As for overall Iraq civilian deaths: while watching some RNC coverage, I saw a protest sign with a list of body counts of US soldiers, Afghani and Iraqi "citizens" (no differentiation between thugs and innocent bystanders, apparently), and the like, and the total didn't come out to more than 12,000. That seemed a bit low, so I googled and found <a href = "http://www.iraqbodycount.net/">iraqbodycount.net</a>. They claim 11,700 to 13,700 civilian deaths in Iraq to date. That's total deaths. Compare that to the yearly totals under Saddam: "In pre-2003 Iraq somewhere between 20,000 to 40,000 innocents were killed annually by Saddam or died as an indirect result of his ruination of the country." (from <a href = "http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1088251127108330.xml">a June 27 2004 editorial</a> by Vicor Davis Hanson in The Oregonian). To quote from the VDH editorial again: "The road to Iraqi democracy is awfully messy, but it should be compared with the alternative of Saddam's gulags, not the local Rotary Club elections." Well, they said combat deaths. I don’t think victims of truck bombs count as combat deaths.

As for overall Iraq civilian deaths: while watching some RNC coverage, I saw a protest sign with a list of body counts of US soldiers, Afghani and Iraqi “citizens” (no differentiation between thugs and innocent bystanders, apparently), and the like, and the total didn’t come out to more than 12,000. That seemed a bit low, so I googled and found iraqbodycount.net. They claim 11,700 to 13,700 civilian deaths in Iraq to date.

That’s total deaths. Compare that to the yearly totals under Saddam: “In pre-2003 Iraq somewhere between 20,000 to 40,000 innocents were killed annually by Saddam or died as an indirect result of his ruination of the country.” (from a June 27 2004 editorial by Vicor Davis Hanson in The Oregonian).

To quote from the VDH editorial again: “The road to Iraqi democracy is awfully messy, but it should be compared with the alternative of Saddam’s gulags, not the local Rotary Club elections.”

]]> By: Corey http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-321 Corey Mon, 30 Aug 2004 23:47:54 +0000 http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-321 I wonder though if their number includes the battle related civilian deaths in Iraq that no one is supposed to be counting..... I wonder though if their number includes the battle related civilian deaths in Iraq that no one is supposed to be counting…..

]]> By: John Wilson http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-320 John Wilson Mon, 30 Aug 2004 22:30:42 +0000 http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-320 It reminded me of an article I read about 8 months ago, the main point was that since Saddam Hussein was forced out of power, terrorism and guerilla warfare all across the world was on the decrease. I suppose that would imply that peace was breaking out, but I didn't realize that combat deaths were at the lowest point ever in the post-WWII period. It reminded me of an article I read about 8 months ago, the main point was that since Saddam Hussein was forced out of power, terrorism and guerilla warfare all across the world was on the decrease. I suppose that would imply that peace was breaking out, but I didn’t realize that combat deaths were at the lowest point ever in the post-WWII period.

]]> By: Geof http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-316 Geof Mon, 30 Aug 2004 03:08:15 +0000 http://www.crazybutable.com/weblog/archives/2004/08/29/war-making-headlines-but-peace-breaks-out/#comment-316 Somehow I don't think this will make the top of the US political headlines. Oh well. Somehow I don’t think this will make the top of the US political headlines.

Oh well.

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