why doesn't the US millitary keep some sort of record of Iraqi civilian casualties?

Question

too incriminating?

to clarify- there ARE civilian casualty statistics in the news- but the US MILLITARY does not provide them, " The Lancet study, of course, was a scientific guesstimate based on incomplete data — the U.S. and its coalition partners have never kept a record of Iraqi civilian deaths"
-Tony Karon
Iraq Civilian Casualties? Who Knew?
Time Magazine 12/8/04

another clarification (people seem to be trying to dodge this question) when i say civilian casualties, i'm referring to civilian casualties caused by the US millitary

Answer 1

We do.

During my tour in Iraq I had the 'additional duty' on the collateral/fratricide reduction team.

We tracked civilians killed by US forces by name. And every single incident where a civilian was killed or injured by our forces was formally investigated. Generally a 15-6 investigation.

And we release this information in press releases.

The sad part is that the bogus Lancet study gets the press because the news media wants the large numbers. If they were to be honest and total the numbers - everyone would realize that we are killing fewer civilians at a rate smaller than any military campaign in history.

Just remember: 'bad news sells.'

Answer 2

The US Military does keep track. Daily. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Try looking it up.

How do you think the US Military knows about trends and attacks and who's who in the insurgent business? It would be silly to not track these numbers.

Besides, most people only care to hear what they want to in the news and base their opinions on that information which mostly paints an incomplete picture of any given situation.

Every time there are civilian deaths, there is a review process to see if the force was necessary, or if a crime was committed. Watch the news, they are great at pointing out every time anyone is suspected of doing something wrong. Watch, but see the whole story, not just the side you want to hear or see. Vary your news channels, and other sources as well. Its all there.

Answer 3

Jehovah has given us the remedy for all ailments. that is God's kingdom. have you ever study Isaiah 33:24? did you recognize that sin motives ailment? evaluate Matthew 9:2. There are different scriptures, yet they're better sturdy to discover. And, at the same time as sin is taken faraway from the international, then both lack of existence and ailment will be done away with. evaluate Romans 5:12 with Revelation 21:3, 4. See also Psalms 100 and ten:a million and a million Corinthians 15:26, 27, fifty 4. In a fashion, even those who died are nonetheless alive to Jehovah. evaluate John 11:11, 14 Luke 20:37, 38.

Answer 4

That's funny, I see the Iraqi civilian casualty figures quite often in the news. Maybe you should pay more attention to the entire story when reading or watching. Nice try, but you'll have to sling the mud someplace else on this topic.

Answer 5

Each country keeps track of their own.

Vietnam had exagerated numbers... the more the better and it was decided then never to count the enemy casualties as it gives a false sense of winning or losing the war.

No country keeps track of civilian casualties except of their own.

Answer 6

The US military does not keep such records because they would then be required to publish them and would be held accountable for (in the case of Iraq) the high civilian to combatant death ratio.
The numbers that are published come from news and humanitarian agencies and the military (read cheney bush regime) can dispute them as inaccurate and inflated by (according to their paranoid views) anti-US-regime sources.

Answer 7

YOU SAID IT. guess what official US estimates say 40000 since the invasion. the last two months there have been reports of over 6000 deaths by the Iraqi government. thats 100 people a day! can you believe that!

Answer 8

For the same reason the FBI doesn't keep statistics on car crashes..it's not their job. American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan are there for security and stabilization, it's not our job to go investigate when one local kills another, or keep track, for that matter. That's up to the local police forces and hospitals. If you're referring to non-combatants that have been accidently killed by american forces in combat, there are reports available.

Answer 9

Why? Do they keep count of how many US troops they kill, more than likely not. And in a war, people may be " civilians " but they could turn very fast and kill you.

Answer 10

Because the Americans are dead the others are collateral damage, and who are interesting in bad publicity?