The insurgency is dead -- the best $400 million per annum ever spent

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DanS
Indeed, they are factoring in all coalition deaths. Just look at the goddamn site!

YOU AREN'T LISTENING!!! They aren't counting IRAQIs in that figure. They are tabulating Iraqi service men's deaths in a different figure which they keep seporate from that figure; it only counts foreign coalition members in that specific figure.

The problem is as every country other then the US has abandoned Iraq the Iraqis have had to take more and more on. Obviously this is the plan but unless you include Iraqi stats in with the coalition states then you get an erroneous figure. This is basic stuff, man.

The only honest number would be to have all Coalition service members in Iraq, including Iraqi security forces, with a death rate per 1000 men and a corrisponding wounded rate per 1000 men. Then we'd have a figure which is useful comparing if things are getting better and by how much. They selectively changing the measuring stick stuff is bogus.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Ramo
And $400 million? I think someone forgot a few zeroes...

Yep, way off.

http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2007/02/how_much_will_t.html

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/01/iraq.surge/index.html

With support troops the escalation added about 48,000 troops with a yearly cost of $27 billion not counting any unexpected expenses which always occur.

I think Ramo has it about right on everything. A two month fall in death rates is nice but no where near "The insurgency is dead" claims which people are bandying about. In fact it's retarded to claim that 2 good monthly reports mean the war is over especially since unconventional forces ALWAYS avoid combat with superior conventional forces and wait until they find a weak spot. The only way we'll be able to tell if the escalation did any long term good is if death toll stay low after the escalation ends.

[Patroklos]

especially since unconventional forces ALWAYS avoid combat with superior conventional forces and wait until they find a weak spot.

Tet? Something similar could be the source of the current lull...

The only way we'll be able to tell if the escalation did any long term good is if death toll stay low after the escalation ends.

I am currious Oerdin, is there anyone on this forum who has said anything else?

[Dinner]

DanS in the thread title. He announced the insurgency to be dead and he claimed the escalation only cost $400 million which is utter BS.