Hey did you notice that last month had the least number of Iraq fatalities since the invasion?

[garybeck]

the data is here
http://icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx

the March number of 9 US soldiers killed per day is part of a trend but is by far the lowest number yet since the war began.

It must be just a coincidence that the 2nd month the new commander-in-chief is in charge has the least number of fatalities.

Let's hope April has even less.

List of the 9 who died:
http://icasualties.org/Iraq/prdDetails.aspx?hndRef=3-2009

(sidenote: curiously, nearly all 9 appear to be Iraqi born US soldiers. is that a little strange?)

[provis99]

1. I'm sure the dead soldiers are happy with that number. n/t

[garybeck]

2. on edit:

I don't mean in any way to minimalize their deaths. I added a link to their names to the OP.

[joshcryer]

9. Most are accident fatalities. Not to minimize their deaths.

In fact it's unfortunate because sometimes accidential deaths are considered not in the line of duty (or at least it was it could have changed).

[FightingIrish]

3. That's the good news. The bad news is Afghanistan

Every month of 2009 has seen the highest coalition fatalities of any corresponding month in previous years.

[Lasher]

4. A result of Cheney's big adventure in Iraq.

The SNAFU at Tora Bora was a turning point and not a good one.

[MADem]

5. They really should have gone up==some VERY INTERESTING figures in there, too.

Better weather and all that usually brings out the IED guys. They should go down in the hottest summer days, too. Too hot to go out.

Every day, the Iraqis take over more and more of the load, too. Wonder how they're doing, casualty wise?

Those guys aren't Iraqi born--they have names like Poche, Futrell, Escobedo, Moore....--the provinces list where they died in Iraq, not where they are from.

Also, more than HALF of those deaths were NON-HOSTILE. That means they had heart attacks or car accidents or committed suicide, or their buddy shot them by mistake, or they got run over by forklifts or got electrocuted by KBR showers wired into the electrical grid. Four were from hostile action.

Date Total Name Place of Death - Province Cause of Death
31-Mar-2009 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Devin C. Poche Tikrit (near) - Salah Ad Din Non-hostile
US Lance Corporal Nelson M. Lantigua Al Anbar Province Non-hostile - gunshot wound
25-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Staff Sergeant Raphael A. Futrell Baghdad Non-hostile
19-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Jose R. Escobedo Jr. Iskandariyah (died in Baghdad) Non-hostile
16-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Specialist Gary L. Moore Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
10-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Lance Corporal Patrick A. Malone Al Anbar Province Non-hostile
07-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US 1st Lieutenant Daniel B. Hyde Tikrit - Salah Ad Din Hostile - hostile fire - RPG attack
03-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Private 1st Class Jessica Y. Sarandrea Mosul - Ninawa Hostile - hostile fire - indirect fire
02-Mar-2009 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Jeffrey A. Reed Taji - Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - grenade

[DainBramaged]

6. One is too many until we leave.

[barbtries]

7. that's all i wanted to say

one is too many. one was too many going on seven years ago. GAWD dammit.

[Djinn]

8. much the same figures when you look at Iraqi deaths

but who does that.