Can anyone tell me how many terrorists the US military has killed/captured over the last 2 years in Iraq?

Question

Wasn't the main goal of going to Iraq to help win the war on terror? So how is the US military going to win the war on terror in Iraq if the troops are spending all of their time trying to keep a major civil war from breaking out between Iraqi Shiites & Iraqi Sunnis?

Can anyone point out a US Govt. website that can confirm the actual number of Al Qaeda terrorists killed by US troops in Iraq over the last 2 years? The only Al Qaeda that I know was killed by US troop is Zarqawi which was great but I haven't heard of any more killed since his death.

Maybe nobody knows because no one in the US military can tell the difference between an insurgent and a terrorist? And if we don't know how many terrorists are being killed how are we ever going to know if we're winning the war on terror?

Answer 1

Last I heard, the number of officially confirmed al-Qaeda members that were killed or captured in Iraq was somewhere north of 200. And you're right -- the main goal of going in to Iraq was to help win the war on terror. The first objective was to remove Saddam Hussein from power since he was supporting al-Qaeda by offering their operatives safe haven in Iraq, and that objective was met. Our troops were not pulled out immediately because the U.S. wasn't about to say "See ya -- we did what we set out to do, now it's up to you people to figure out what to do next." Instead, we offered our continued assistance in hopes that the Iraqi people would establish a democratic form of government. Unfortunately, what we have now is factional fighting among the Iraqi people, so it doesn't really matter when we pull out of Iraq now -- chances are we'll be back in another ten years or so to take out another oppressive leader who may be worse than the one we just removed.

Answer 2

I believe that an actual figure on the number of terrorists is impossible to achieve. With the "shoot first, ask questions later" method, there are many, many civilian deaths as well. We will never know if the people we have killed were in fact terrorists since they could have been tired of the continued occupation and defending their home. War is an awfully confusing time and I sincerely doubt the ability to put down the gun and grab a pen and paper to count the "terrorists". ""Terrorism" is a word used so often and so loosely that it has lost a clear meaning.

This is a proposal to lend some clarity to the definition, and thus hopefully to the use, of the word "terrorism."

Currently, the term "terrorism" is applied to the use of force most often on the basis of whether the speaker agrees with the goal of the violence. Hence the expression "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."

Alternatively, or sometimes even in conjunction with the foregoing, some people condemn any violence by a non-governmental entity -- whatever the target -- as terrorism, and approvingly label any action by a sovereign country's military forces -- again, whatever the target -- as "military strikes" or the like."

I am sure to some in the area, we are the terrorists. See the link below for backing my argument. Call me what you will, you have to see their side as well to form a valid, un-biased opinion. Sorry.

Answer 3

According to one website/news outlet, the number is greater than 5000. Hard to tell, in fact, impossible for us to know because a lot of the information must remain classified so as not to weaken the efforts that are ongoing.

The public goal of stopping terrorism by going to Iraq is not the real reason in my opinion. The real reason I believe is to stop the Iranian leadership in their quest to bring the hidden Imam or Mahdi forth by wiping Israel off the map. If successful, there would be many benefits gained for western society. If not, the negatives will be disastrous of Biblical proportion. It's up to you as to if you believe this was only about cheap gasoline or not. This is a horrible mess, no doubt, we have to shift our strategy and find a solution that will work to end in a successful conclusion. I wish I had the answers.

Answer 4

No, because the number of ENEMIES we have killed never gets reported anymore. That would only show that we are actually WINNING this war. For some reason we are not allowed to win wars anymore because so many think that we are on the side of evil. It is what is now, and in the future, destroying this country. What ever happened to pride in your country. Go ahead Libs, say Bush destoyed it, we know it's coming......................give me a break.

Answer 5

It doesn't matter cause they haven't caught you yet. Well, you are more retarded and a threat to this country with your stupidity, so I guess you could be consider one. Not saying that no one has freedom of speech or anything.