US Marks 3,000 Troops Dead
Sunday, December 31st, 2006 by RLRFrom The Sydney Morning Herald
The US military death toll in Iraq has reached 3,000, an unwelcome milestone for President George W Bush who is searching for a way to turn around the unpopular war even if it means sending more troops.
The Web site, http://www.icasualties.org, listed the death of Specialist Dustin R. Donica, 22, on December 28 as previously unreported and said his death, together with that of an unidentified soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Saturday, brought the toll to 3,000.
The mark was reached as Bush weighs options, including a short-term increase in forces of up to 30,000, to help control the deteriorating situation in Iraq where daily violence plagues Baghdad and much of the country.
“Every loss is regretted and there is no special significance to the overall number of casualties,” said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros.
Analysts called 3,000 deaths a major personal tragedy but said it had limited political and military significance. Anti-war activists vowed to use the milestone as a catalyst to press for the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
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it is tragic isnt it..3,ooo for the new iraq.. not since the north vietnamese has the u.s military lost thousands in a conflict.. 1971 to be exact.. the iraq war and what was coined ” the new iraq ” or during the rebuilding iraq phase..that 1ooos died during ” the rebuilding iraq ” phase.. o.k so after the baathist nebachadnezzar and medina army divisions from the march april iraq 2003 war then came the jihadi and insurgenst in iraq , the rampage army of suicide bombers.. the iraqi jihadi i.e.d war against u.s forces , coalition troops and the new iraq.. even post baathist era and post hussein iraq proved to be still deadly for u.s military personnell.. like iraq transformed into this weird surreall nightmare.. it must be noted that thousands of u.s troops and marines died after the iraq war ended.. in what i thought was going to be a peace time in iraq.. instead 3,ooo got killed and 25,ooo u.s troops got knocked or wounded.. more than the initial casualties in the initial iraq war.. one question , the soldiers and marines killed post the iraq war of 2oo3.. in ” the new iraq ” or during ” the rebuilding iraq ” efforts , what are they classified as.. are they classified as killed in action.. is that even possible since the iraq war is over ..do they consider this as a part of the iraq war.. or something else.. thanks..