Shades of Vietnam: Media now reporting Body Count "Victories" in Iraq

Sandpiper

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:40 PM
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Shades of Vietnam: Media now reporting Body Count "Victories" in Iraq

As in Vietnam, where we were fighting a shadow enemy waging a guerrilla campaign, our "victories" have now become how many of them we've killed.

85 Militants Killed in U.S. Raid in Iraq

51 minutes ago Top Stories - AP

By QASIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces raided a suspected guerrilla training camp and killed 85 fighters, the single biggest one-day death toll for militants in months and the latest in a series of blows to the insurgency, Iraqi officials said Wednesday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20050323/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_3

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Dhalgren

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:42 PM
Response to Original message

1. Well...it was only a matter of time...

They have only two ways to go with this thing - and they have chosen the way that failed last time. They are so predictable...

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westcor

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:43 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. This is sad

Im taking a Vietnam class right now and that war was the only one that counted victories as the number of people killed. Ted Kennedy was made fun of for his "Iraq is Vietnam" call, looks like its eeirly too right.

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papau

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:47 PM
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3. the other side has dared us to show more than 11 bodies to the media~?!

So I guess the 85 number is in dispute.

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tubbacheez

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:49 PM
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4. Very sad. And very dangerous.

When human deaths are reframed as "victories", the value of human life is cheapened.

We might as well give out "points" for various types of kills, just like in a video game. Then death wouldn't be in the picture at all, just scorekeeping.

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Tierra_y_Libertad

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:50 PM
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5. Pretty soon, if not all ready, they'll start inflating the numbers.

I remember someone adding up all the claimed NVA/VC dead. It turned out that our glorious military had completely wiped out the NVA/VC..TWICE.

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The Magistrate

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:55 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. Already, Sir, They Are Inflating The Numbers

Anyone killed in an action is described as an insurgent, though in combat in built-up areas, it is certain that between half and two thirds of the casualties are simply bystanders....

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The_Casual_Observer

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:53 PM
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6. This is when they start the "25,000 rebels killed, 2 US dead"

stuff. It was bound to happen. There weren't any rebels before we got there.

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DinahMoeHum

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:54 PM
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7. Sheesh, that was the one indelible memory of the Vietnam war

I had while growing up in the 60's. Watching the 7:00 news with Walter Cronkite with the casualty numbers posted. Like they were scores from basketball games or something.

Fucking macabre.

:nuke:

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G_j

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Wed Mar-23-05 04:55 PM
Response to Original message

9. that was the first thought I had also

a nasty deja vu here

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