After reading that Wolfowitz underestimated the number of American soldier casualties in Iraq:’
“WASHINGTON – Asked how many American troops have died in Iraq, the Pentagon’s No. 2 civilian estimated Thursday the total was about 500 ? more than 200 soldiers short.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was asked about the toll at a hearing of a House Appropriations subcommittee. “It’s approximately 500, of which ? I can get the exact numbers ? approximately 350 are combat deaths,” he responded
“He misspoke,” spokesman Charley Cooper said later. “That’s all.”
American deaths Thursday were at 722 ? 521 of them from combat ? since the start of military operations in Iraq last year, according to the Department of Defense (news – web sites). ”
I wanted to see if the Department of Defense website carried the story.
They did not.
Here are the headlines from that website:
Rumsfeld Cites Opportunities for Iraqis
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2004 ? Acknowledging that the road to a free and sovereign Iraq is “bumpy,” Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld pointed to a year of progress and said the Iraqi people have a “wonderful opportunity.” Appearing on the MSNBC program “Hardball” April 29, Rumsfeld told host Chris Matthews that “amazing things” have happened in Iraq since Saddam Hussein was driven from power.
Efforts in Afghanistan Pay Off
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2004 ? U.S. and coalition efforts in Afghanistan are paying off in that formerly Taliban-controlled country, Peter W. Rodman, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told House Armed Services Committee members today.
The Department of Defense website does report that Wolfowitz addressed the House appropriations subcommittee, the same meeting where he couldn’t remember how many American soldiers died in Iraq.
Wolfowitz Seeks Spending Flexibility
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2004 ? Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz asked a House appropriations subcommittee here today for more flexibility in how funding for security assistance programs in Iraq is spent.
However, the story does not mention his flub.
It would be tempting to think that because Wolfowitz could not recall how many American soldiers died (in fact, being off by about 200), Wolfowitz could be considered to be “out of touch” with how things are going in Iraq. While I don’t expect my government officials to be 100% accurate in every statistic they cite, I do require of my Department of Defense 2nd in Command to cite, with a better accuracy, the number of soldiers who have given their lives for this country. Perhaps he should have the Department of Defense news as his homepage.
I’m sure the top brass at the Pentagon and the Department of Defense are painfully aware of the number of dead U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
At this point, the problem in Iraq is that the military is not allowed to their jobs. Twice they have been held back from taking the city of Rumallah because the civilians wanted to negotiate. Each time, they went back to the table to negotiate, the enemy took that time to regroup, rearm and redeploy themselves to await the next attack.
We should let the military do what it does best. Let our military pound the resistance into submission. Only when we are sure that the area is secure do we negotiate with what is left of our enemy.
Or, it could just be that this is a non-story to everyone except those harboring a particular animus toward the Bush administration.
I’d like to know exactly what’s being insinuated here.
I would like to think that the Top Brass are painfully aware, but Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, clearly isn’t aware. I don’t consider the lack of awareness by the Deputy Secretary of Defense of the extent of American soldier fatalities a non-story.
Everyone can draw their own conclusions on what’s going on here. I’m simply reporting the facts in their proper context.
Perhaps when Ted Koppel reads all the names tonight on Nightline, then he’ll have educated the Top Brass as to the extent of the casualties in Iraq. Indeed, if Wolfowitz knew the exact number, he’d likely have quit his job by now in shame.
He’d quit because he couldn’t quote an exact number at that time and at that place to people slavering for something to pin on him. If only he knew the sacrifices brave Americans were making because of his ill-informed decisions. If only he appreciated the lives lost. If he only cared. If only the Defense Department would put his misstatement on the front page.
If only every little mistake, misstatement, or flub he made wasn’t used as some symbol of his incompetence and/or stupidity and/or evil.
To me every life given is important! A spouse, mother, father, daughter, son, brother, sister, or friend is a huge price for someone to have to pay for any reason. We have to realize that if we are fighting for our own freedom and the freedom of others there will be a cost. I think it is sad that some people like, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, do not know that cost. It is obviously a fact that is not important to him or he would have known the number of soldiers killed.
Do you know off-hand, Sam? Without looking it up? If not, then it’s pretty sad that you don’t know the cost, either.