Even if it does not really mean what they want it to mean. After all, as we have documented, deaths among American troops in Iraq have been trending sharply downward after a spike earlier this year.

The U.S. military announced six new deaths Tuesday, making 2007 the bloodiest year for American troops in Iraq despite a recent decline in casualties and a sharp drop in roadside bombings that Washington links to Iran.

With nearly two months left in the year, the annual toll is now 853 — three more than the previous worst of 850 in 2004.

But the grim milestone comes as the Pentagon points toward other encouraging signs as well — growing security in Baghdad and other former militant strongholds that could help consolidate the gains against extremists.

It takes until 3/4 of the way through the article to get to the good news about Iraq casualties.

The noticeable drop in U.S. and Iraqi deaths in recent months follows a 30,000-strong U.S. force buildup, along with a six-month cease-fire order by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, among other factors. There were 39 deaths in October, compared to 65 in September and 84 in August.

And as noted by military officials, the reason for the spike in deaths had been the increase in contact with enemy forces following the implementation of the Surge strategy. The results of that strategy, though, constitute strong steps on the road to victory in Iraq. Something that this story is designed to minimize by quoting statistics without context. And counting on the sort of reaction that any decent individual will have -- that each death of a serviceman is a tragedy -- those involved in writing the article want to lead folks to the conclusion that each death is a wasteful, needless one, and that the numbers indicate defeat.

They would have been great to have around on D-Day.

Posted by: Greg at 11:11 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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