Saturday, August 30, 2008

Iraq War Deaths in Perspective

Since the Iraq War began over five years ago, the United States has suffered about 3,400 combat deaths, roughly the number killed in any four-month period in Vietnam during the last year of LBJ's presidency. Or sometimes in a few days in World War II.

So far this year, Mexico has had 2,700 drug murders in only two-thirds of a year, about 700 deaths less than the total US combat deaths in over five years of war.

In 2008, Oakland, California has almost as many homicides as the United States has had combat deaths in Iraq. Add in homicides in Richmond, California, and the total probably exceeds US combat deaths in Iraq.

It's not cold or heartless of me to put these deaths in perspective. I regret each death, but I've lived long enough to have known of far worse, and I don't understand Liberals' concerns for our war deaths, but lack of concern for far worse associated with their consumption of illegal drugs that drive the drug war deaths.

Is it because the drug war deaths in Mexico can't be blamed on George Bush?

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