No US combat-related deaths in Iraq!

[Razgovory]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/01/01/iraq.us.deaths/index.html

Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- December was the first month since the beginning of the Iraq war in which there were no U.S. combat deaths, the U.S. military reported.

There were three noncombat fatalities.

"That is a very significant milestone for us as we continue to move forward, and I think that also speaks to the level of violence and how it has decreased over time," said Army Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Since the beginning of the war more than six years ago, 4,373 U.S. military members have died -- 3,477 from hostilities and 898 in non-combat incidents.

Combat fatalities have decreased significantly since June, when the United States started withdrawing troops from Baghdad, Iraq's capital, and other urban areas. The United States also started a troop drawdown in 2009 from about 160,000 to the current level of around 110,000.

The U.S. military suffered double-digit combat-related deaths in February, April, May and June 2009. The highest was 17 in May. There were also eight non-combat deaths in May, making for the highest monthly total in 2009.

Since July, U.S. forces have suffered no more than five combat-related deaths each month. There were five in July, three in August, four in September, two in October and four in November.

Non-combat deaths outnumbered combat fatalities in March, September, October, November and December. The last U.S. combat death in Iraq reported by CNN occurred November 22, when Sgt. Briand T. Williams, 25, of Sparks, Georgia, died in Numaniyah after insurgents attacked his Army unit.

Casualties also have decreased among Iraqis, with Interior Ministry officials reporting in late November that the civilian death toll fell that month to its lowest level since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

According to the Interior Ministry, 2,773 civilians were killed and 8,900 were wounded in 2009. In addition, 242 Iraqi soldiers were killed and 612 were wounded in 2009.

In December, the ministry said, 306 Iraqi civilians were killed and 1,137 were wounded; 13 Iraqi soldiers were killed and 32 were wounded. Also in December, 48 Iraqi police were killed and 119 were wounded.

November recorded the lowest casualty figures for Iraqis since the U.S.-led invasion, with 88 civilians killed and 332 wounded. In addition, 12 Iraqi soldiers died in November and 44 were wounded. Among Iraqi police, 22 died and 56 were wounded.

Previously, January 2009 had the lowest Iraqi civilian casualty figures since 2003. Since then, figures had been fluctuating, with August being the deadliest month for Iraqi civilians in more than a year.

Daily violence has drastically dropped across the country over the past two years, but sporadic spectacular attacks, including high-profile suicide bombings against government buildings on August 19, October 25 and December 8, continue to claim hundreds of lives and shake confidence in the abilities of Iraq's security forces.

President Obama has said he plans to withdraw all U.S. combat forces from Iraq by August 2010 and all remaining troops by December 2011. Britain, the United States' major ally in Iraq, ended combat operations in April.

[Fate]

Can we now say with confidence that the insurgency is imploding? 

[Valmy]

Good...so when can we pull out and declare victory?

[Fate]

Good...so when can we pull out and declare victory?

I do not believe this is possible. If we set a date certain to declare victory, the terrorists will simply wait us out.

[Sheilbh]

Good...so when can we pull out and declare victory?

The US has effectively pulled out.  I believe the only cities you're still in are Mosul and Kirkuk.

[Razgovory]

Good...so when can we pull out and declare victory?

The US has effectively pulled out.  I believe the only cities you're still in are Mosul and Kirkuk.

That would be news to the 110,000 soldiers still there.

[FunkMonk]

My old unit is vacationing near Kirkuk. They don't do much of anything there but play volleyball and pass out Christmas gifts to kids if the Iraqis don't ask them to do anything. Keep in mind this is an infantry battalion that had 15 KIA and 80+ WIA last deployment in one of the harshest neighborhoods around Baghdad.

[Sheilbh]

That would be news to the 110,000 soldiers still there.

They're in bases.  The US pulled out of Iraqi cities in July and only have a support role when called in by the government.

[Razgovory]

My old unit is vacationing near Kirkuk. They don't do much of anything there but play volleyball and pass out Christmas gifts to kids if the Iraqis don't ask them to do anything. Keep in mind this is an infantry battalion that had 15 KIA and 80+ WIA last deployment in one of the harshest neighborhoods around Baghdad.

That seems like a nicer job then before.

[Admiral Yi]

My old unit is vacationing near Kirkuk. They don't do much of anything there but play volleyball and pass out Christmas gifts to kids if the Iraqis don't ask them to do anything. Keep in mind this is an infantry battalion that had 15 KIA and 80+ WIA last deployment in one of the harshest neighborhoods around Baghdad.

That's interesting and good news.  Wasn't Kirkuk supposed to be the deadliest city in Iraq?

[Alcibiades]

That would be news to the 110,000 soldiers still there.

They're in bases.  The US pulled out of Iraqi cities in July and only have a support role when called in by the government.

There are still some combat outposts in Baghdad that I know for sure are open, one being the one near where I was.  Most soldiers are out and small outposts closed in the cities, but not all.

[FunkMonk]

My old unit is vacationing near Kirkuk. They don't do much of anything there but play volleyball and pass out Christmas gifts to kids if the Iraqis don't ask them to do anything. Keep in mind this is an infantry battalion that had 15 KIA and 80+ WIA last deployment in one of the harshest neighborhoods around Baghdad.

That's interesting and good news.  Wasn't Kirkuk supposed to be the deadliest city in Iraq?

AFAIK that's why they deployed there. They've only been there for two months though and elections are coming up in March so I assume things will heat up.

[Berkut]

Can we now say with confidence that the insurgency is imploding? 

I have to admire the hubris of the "Iraq is doomed and will never see peace" crowd to now sit back and mock the very people they insisted were so wrong to support continuing the effort to achieve something.

[Fate]

Can we now say with confidence that the insurgency is imploding? 

I have to admire the hubris of the "Iraq is doomed and will never see peace" crowd to now sit back and mock the very people they insisted were so wrong to support continuing the effort to achieve something.

I agree, we should listen to Hans more often.

What foreign policy adventurism can we begin with the next Neoconservative administration? Iran? Yemen? North Korea? Oh so many choices!

[DGuller]

Can we now say with confidence that the insurgency is imploding? 

I have to admire the hubris of the "Iraq is doomed and will never see peace" crowd to now sit back and mock the very people they insisted were so wrong to support continuing the effort to achieve something.

Who knew back then that Obama would turn out to be such an effective president, and exceed even the wildest expectations when it comes to bringing peace to the region?