Thursday, August 05, 2004
Military Fatalities and Hostages
The number of U.S. military fatalities reported in July averaged 1.87 per day. This was a slight increase over June, but still well below May and less than half April's rate. Figures on casualties among Iraqis, military or civilian are hard to come by. One suspects from the flow of news that they have increased considerably more than the military in the last month. Most of the action now seems directed by Iraqis at Iraqis. Clearly, there have not been any breakthroughs in this war that can be documented from the figures. Psychologically, on the one hand, people, even soldiers, get used to a certain level of loss. On the other hand, many tire of the losses and simply look for a way out — as apparently have an increasing number of Christians recently. They are fleeing to Iraq where they feel welcome (Note: this is the other Baath party dictatorship, but for minorities dictators can be protectors.)
The wave of kidnappings or hostage taking continues. A few have been executed. Several suppliers of drivers etc. have ceased operations. However, as has been suggested before, the nature of the enterprise is moving in a more material and less ideological direction. A number of hostages have been let go for one or another reason. One of those freed said his kidnappers simply wanted money. The tribal leader near Falluja who has been trying to bargain for the freedom of some of the hostages has been promoting the idea of negotiations with the kidnappers. I believe this is the same tribal leader who managed (he says) to break into a house yesterday in Falluja and free four of the hostages without bloodshed.
The number of U.S. military fatalities reported in July averaged 1.87 per day. This was a slight increase over June, but still well below May and less than half April's rate. Figures on casualties among Iraqis, military or civilian are hard to come by. One suspects from the flow of news that they have increased considerably more than the military in the last month. Most of the action now seems directed by Iraqis at Iraqis. Clearly, there have not been any breakthroughs in this war that can be documented from the figures. Psychologically, on the one hand, people, even soldiers, get used to a certain level of loss. On the other hand, many tire of the losses and simply look for a way out — as apparently have an increasing number of Christians recently. They are fleeing to Iraq where they feel welcome (Note: this is the other Baath party dictatorship, but for minorities dictators can be protectors.)
The wave of kidnappings or hostage taking continues. A few have been executed. Several suppliers of drivers etc. have ceased operations. However, as has been suggested before, the nature of the enterprise is moving in a more material and less ideological direction. A number of hostages have been let go for one or another reason. One of those freed said his kidnappers simply wanted money. The tribal leader near Falluja who has been trying to bargain for the freedom of some of the hostages has been promoting the idea of negotiations with the kidnappers. I believe this is the same tribal leader who managed (he says) to break into a house yesterday in Falluja and free four of the hostages without bloodshed.
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