Which is more dangerous: Being a U.S. soldier in Iraq or living in california?

Question

There were over 2500 murders in california in 2005
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/cacrime.htm

846 U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq in 2005
http://www.icasualties.org/oif/

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Now, I'm sure I'll here some responses from libs saying, "any number of deaths is too much."

Well, that may be true, but, unfortunately, it's a war, the military is voluntary, and the soldiers are proud to be there.

Now, i'd really like you libs to stop quoting death numbers to make your case, because, as I just showed you, it makes you look foolish.

Take up another cause, like stopping murders in california.

I don't live in cali. Florida/ geogia

Answer 1

you must be joking. 600,000 dead in iraq.

Answer 2

This is the dumbest argument ever attempted by the GOP to try and put a positive spin on Iraq.

Let's take your moronic "logic" one step further. If you look at the entire world, except for Iraq, let's assume there were 1 million murders (hell, Darfur alone probably had 300,000). And so, if there were only 846 murders in Iraq, then, using your logic, Iraq is the safest place in the world!

The problem is that you are comparing two radically different sample sizes and are apparently too stupid to realize it. California's population is about 34,000,000 people. We only have 140,000 troops in Iraq. So one out of every 165 Americans in Iraq was killed in 2005 (and about 1 in 20 were wounded). Only 1 in 13,600 California's were murdered.

What does this all mean? It means Iraq was 82 times MORE DEADLY than California in 2005.

Nice try, though. And thanks. There's nothing liberals like more than Republicans showing how ignorant they are.

Answer 3

For the record, I'm not a liberal. I'm a registered Republican.

Having said that, one thing I can't stand is idiotic statements people make regardless of party affiliation.

The state of California has 20M+ in population (not including undocumented immigrants). If 2500 were murdered in 2005, that's 0.0125%. Incidentally, the population of Iraq is 26M.

You cited 846 US soldiers killed in Iraq in 2005. How many more people -- i.e., coalition soldiers from other countries, Iraqis, and others -- were killed in 2005?

You are right. It is a war and people die in wars. You are also right that the US military is voluntary. However, they didn't volunteer to go to Iraq. If you truly believe that all soldiers are proud to be there, perhaps you should go join the military and "volunteer" to serve in Iraq.

I don't see what point you are trying to make when there is an absence of logic. It's a non sequitur.

Answer 4

According to the web sites and numbers you gave you are almost 100 times more likely to die as a member of USA armed forces in Iraq than as a Californian in California.

There are approximately 36 million Californians and there where approximately 2500 murders while there are approximately 130 thousand troops ( something the icasualties.org site fails to note or if it does it was not easily recognized or seen by me) with approximately 850 deaths /murders

There were approxamatly 4000 highway deaths in California and 3000 highway deaths in Florida

This is JUST the American soldiers and not the American contractors or others contracted by the Americans NOR does this included the other civilian (Iraqi) deaths.

Also the link you gave linked to another page describing Florida and to quote that page "Crime Florida had a reported incident rate of 812.0 per 100,000 people. This ranked the state as having the 1st highest occurrence for Violent Crime among the states. "

Admittedly California didn't fair well for it ranked 9th in violent crime.

Certainly there are many liberals who would very much like to reduce or eliminate the deaths in California but those conservatives would rather reduce taxes than spend it on something that might help the general public or even change public policy if they do not profit from it.
Then there are the police union who is more interested in getting people in jail than helping them reform their lives.

There is a common bumper sticker out here it says
" Mean People Suck"
You and your neocon fascist republicans are the mean people they are most likely talking about.

It is a shame that many of those deaths in California and the rest of the nation are likely illegal drug related and that could be easily solved by legalizing the drugs.
The drugs could then be manufactured in a 'safe' responsible manner . taxed, and sold at a price that would or could reduce the violence related to them due to the high cost of acquiring the drugs.
The "legal" drug manufacturers are not likely to like this because there is a hundred times or more markup on illegal drugs while legal drugs often have a markup of hundreds to tens of thousands.

Now you will say there is a lot bigger markup on illegal drugs and if you include the out of country source then you would be correct but illegal drugs made in the USA are only likely to get a few hundred times markup. Still a whole lot of money but this could be eliminated by legalizing the drugs while increasing the safety all around

That is to say a drug might cost .one hundredth of a cent to make in volume but sell for a dollar or two or more a pill wholesale.
Part of this is the patent drug companies have and part is a result of influence by politicians from both sides.

Answer 5

I'm a liberal but I've also lived in California and I would probalby have to say California. Better yet any place in the U.S. because this govt does not properly protect it's own yet it is concerned about other countries human rights issues. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Once again it goes back to "But For". Maybe is not "But for" the war in Iraq and using up the reservist which most of them are police officers, the police departments wouldn't be strecthed thin and more officers could be on the streets patrolling. Just a hunch!!

Answer 6

This is a typical Dumbya Coup lie. The correct stat to observe is the death RATE, number of deaths/ total population. There are far more people in CA than Americans doing hell in Iraq. You know the deaths occur mostly in the enlisted ranks, and among those, I don't imagine there are many who want repeated "tours".

Answer 7

You know nothing about statistics. 2500 murders out of 30 million people is way different then 846 out of 140,000. In other words, a higher percentage of people die in Iraq, a much higher percentage. You are foolish for using these numbers since it clearly doesn't make a good case.

You have insulted not only all those who have fallen in Iraq, but those who have lost their lives in California.

Answer 8

If you think that's bad you should try living in Jane and Finch or Dundas and Gerard. Well I guess we only get a taste of what it could like in California. Ya I'd feel safer being a soldier than being a citizen.

Answer 9

OMG, so because people are murdered at a high rate in California, we should just ship off all our soldiers to fight a war for oil. Now murders are punished are you saying since people who murder in California get punished, we should punish those who murder our soldiers, like Bush for putting them there in the first place. If you say no thats a double standard and hipocritical!

Answer 10

846 + 30,000(bush estimate) Iraqi citizens have been killed in Iraq. Their lives matter too, and they are making the biggest sacrifice. And murder in California is against the law...how about an illegal war? murder of innocents all over Iraq, for Bush's war. I won't shut up about it. Anymore than those who are anti choice will stop calling those of us who are pro choice 'baby killers'. That has been settleed law of the land for over 30 years. Will you shut up? Will you?

Answer 11

You're a bright person! Then crunch the numbers. About 32,000,000 in California and about 140,000 troops in Iraq.

I would say the question is totally insulting to the US military, and you are pretty idealistic, and simplistic if you think you can stop the causes of murder without locking everyone up.