Death Toll Rises As Iraq War Grinds On
 

As the bipartisan Iraq Study Group issues its report to President Bush, and Republicans and Democrats come together to endorse former CIA director Robert Gates as the administration’s new defence secretary, the implications of the consensus to continue the Iraq war are underscored by the ongoing fighting and slaughter of both Iraqis and American troops.

In the first five days of December, 17 US soldiers have been killed and at least 130 wounded, pushing the [B]overall US death toll in Iraq past 2,900[/B]. US casualties [B]since the March 20, 2003 invasion now stand at 2,907 dead, 21,572 wounded in action and a further 24,565 injured in non-hostile incidents or evacuated due to disease.[/B] These figures do not include the tens of thousands of veterans who have sought treatment for psychological conditions or succumbed to illnesses since their return from the Middle East

With [B]Iraqi deaths already estimated at around 650,000[/B] and the [B]American death toll moving toward 3,000[/B], the US ruling elite’s actions will necessarily intensify the violence in Iraq, resulting in even greater casualties.