Iraq: December first month without U.S. combat death

Wow. That's almost unbelievable. Now if we could only say the same about civilian deaths in Iraq.

BAGHDAD (AP) — December was the first month since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq nearly seven years ago in which no U.S. forces died in combat in the country.
Gen. Ray Odierno called it a significant milestone and said it speaks to how the violence in Iraq has diminished. Odierno is the commanding general in Iraq.

There were three U.S. troops who died in December as a result of non-combat related incidents.

According to an Associated Press count, 149 U.S. troops died in Iraq in 2009. That includes combat-related deaths and those not related to fighting.

That's the lowest number of U.S. deaths for a year since the Iraq war began in 2003.

Video- Kilmeade suggests Obama Dover photos were arranged to advance "the narrative" that "it's not time to put Americans in battle"

Videos: President Obama Honors Return of Fallen Soldiers

Video- Dick Cheney: Iraq war "saved lives"

I'm sorry, he's just starting to be a parody of himself. Anyone else think Stephen Colbert is behind The Dick's Greatest Hits Tour?

Video- Online digital memorial to troops

Competing sad vs cool.

Media Witness Arrival of Soldiers' Remains

First time in 18 years.

This Did Not Have To Happen

And for the first time in a very long time, it feels as if things will change soon.

18-Jan-2009
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

16-Jan-2009
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

11-Jan-2009
US Sergeant Marquis R. Porter
US Private Sean P. McCune

Latest incidents	Latest identified
Jan 08: Body of 14-15-year old boy found beheaded 1in south Kirkuk Details	Mohammed Qassim 25; Male Details
Recent events
Sunday 18 January: 3 dead Ninewa Albu Ali: suicide bomber kills NDF Deputy Leader and 2 family members.

Statistics via ICasualties and Iraq Body Count

This Did Not Have To Happen

11-Dec-2008
UK Corporal Lee Churcher

04-Dec-2008
UK Lance Corporal David Kenneth Wilson
US Staff Sergeant Solomon T. Sam
US Sergeant John J. Savage

Latest incidents	Latest identified
Dec 03: One by roadside bomb near Al Saada bakery, Al Ameen, Baghdad Details	Cousins of Hashim al-Karawi Adult; Male Details
Recent events
Saturday 13 December: 13 dead Baghdad: gunmen kill official at Ministry of Interior. Ninewa Mosul: gunmen kill policeman, woman and Mayor in separate attacks; at least 2 deheaded bodies found. Salahuddin Balad: gunmen kill 2. Baiji: 5 (1 child, 4 policemen) are killed. More

Statistics via ICasualties and Iraq Body Count.

This Did Not Have To Happen

04-Dec-2008

UK Lance Corporal David Kenneth Wilson
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

Latest incidents	Latest identified
Nov 16: Body found in Jihad, west Baghdad Details	Walaa Sabih, sister of Lamia Subaih Daoud 23; Female Details
Recent events
Sunday 7 December: 10 dead Tameem Kirkuk: 3 policemen killed by roadside bombs. Ninewa Mosul: gunmen kill 2 Yazidi men running liquor store; policeman dies in clashes. Diyala Baquba: bomb kills 3, including mayor. Anbar Falluja: tribal chief is killed. More

Statistics via ICasualties and Iraq Body Count.

This Did Not Have To Happen

08-Nov-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

06-Nov-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

05-Nov-2008
US Specialist Adam McKamey Wenger

Statistics via ICasualties. The Civilian Iraq site is down.

This Did Not Have To Happen

29-Oct-2008 Sergeant Scott J. Metcalf

24-Oct-2008 Private 1st Class Cody J. Eggleston

Recent events

Sunday 2 November: 21 dead

Baghdad: roadside bomb kills policeman; 2 bodies found.

Diyala
Muqdadiya: gunmen attack house, kill mother and two daughters.
Buhriz: roadside bomb kills Sahwa leader and his family (wife and 4 children); another bomb hits minibus, kills 1 passenger.

Tameem
Kirkuk: 2 children (7-year-old Muhammad Khundaer Muhammad and 9-year-old Ahmed Hamid Jelu) are blown up by bomb as they play football.

Ninewa
Mosul: gunmen kill 1 in drive-by shooting; child's body is found.

Anbar
Rutba: 4 bodies found.

8 Iraqi children are killed on this day.

Statistics via ICasualties and Iraq Body Count.

This Did Not Have To Happen

As of Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008, at least 4,188 members of the U.S. military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

24-Oct-2008 Private 1st Class Cody J. Eggleston

23-Oct-2008 Staff Sergeant Brian P. Hause

20-Oct-2008 Lance Corporal Stacy A. Dryden

Recent events

Saturday 25 October: 12 dead

Baghdad: bombs kill 3; 2 bodies found.

Ninewa
Mosul: gunmen kill 2 policemen; gunmen kill man in drive-by shooting.

Anbar
Falluja: gunmen kill 2.

Tameem
Kirkuk: 2 bodies found.

Statistics via ICasualties and Iraq Body Count.

This did not have to happen

27-Sep-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

25-Sep-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

24-Sep-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

23-Sep-2008
US 1st Lieutenant Thomas J. Brown

21-Sep-2008
US Staff Sergeant Matthew J. Taylor

18-Sep-2008
US Chief Warrant Officer Corry A. Edwards
US Sergeant Daniel M. Eshbaugh
US Sergeant Anthony L. Mason
US 1st Sergeant Julio C. Ordonez
US Chief Warrant Officer Brady J. Rudolf
US Corporal Michael E. Thompson
US Robert Vallejo

17-Sep-2008
US Captain Darrick D. Wright
US Private 1st Class Leonard J. Gulczynski

Via ICasualties.

A wounded veteran responds to Meghan McCain's Quote

Someone asked for this earlier. I think the response by Broken Skull is well served. The rest of his/her eloquent diary here.

There are 4155 families that lost a loved one in Iraq, 584 that have lost a loved one in Afghanistan. There are tens of thousands of injured soldiers like myself, who not only deal with their injuries but have families that deal with the injuries too. Does Meghan McCain think that those 4,739 families that are grieving the loss of their loved ones don't know about war. Does she think that the tens of thousands of us wounded soldiers don't know about war. Yes, she does.

This is not a simple mistake or a gaffe, this is a freudian slip and it gives us an insight into how Sen. McCain feels about the service of those of are not him. Sen. McCain has shown us by his voting record that we don't matter.

This Did Not Have To Happen

05-Sep-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

04-Sep-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET
US Staff Sergeant Kennith Mayne

02-Sep-2008
US Private 1st Class Patrick W. May

Via ICasualties

This Did Not Have To Happen

28-Aug-2008
US Specialist Jorge L. Feliz
US Specialist Michael L. Gonzalez

27-Aug-2008
US David K. Cooper

26-Aug-2008
US Specialist Carlo E. Alfonso

02-Sep-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

Statistics via ICasualties

US Soldier Dies in Baghdad

100 more years.

The U.S. military says an American soldier has died of wounds suffered in a roadside bombing in northeast Baghdad.

A U.S. statement says the soldier's vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb Tuesday. The soldier was rushed to a military hospital in Baghdad but died Wednesday. No further details have been released.

This Did Not Have To Happen

19-Aug-2008
US George Stanciel Amarah

17-Aug-2008
US Lance Corporal Travis M. Stottlemyer

14-Aug-2008
US Private Janelle F. King
US Private 1st Class Daniel A. C. McGuire

13-Aug-2008
US Corporal James M. Hale

10-Aug-2008
US Sergeant Michael H. Ferschke Jr.
US Sergeant Kenneth B. Gibson

Statistics via ICasualties.

This Did Not Have To Happen

The ICasualties site was down last week so I didn't do one of these. I have to say in all the time I've been doing this, there has never been a week when there were no deaths. Last week was the first.

17-Jul-2008
US Technical Sergeant Jackie L. Larsen

15-Jul-2008
US Staff Sergeant David W. Textor
US Staff Sergeant Jeremy D. Vrooman

14-Jul-2008
US Aviation Boatswain Mate 3rd Class Daniel R. Verbeke
US Staff Sergeant Danny Dupre

13-Jul-2008
US Lance Corporal Jeffery S. Stevenson

Statistics via Icasualties.

This Did Not Have To Happen

30-May-2008
US Corporal Christian S. Cotner

05-Jul-2008
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET

Via ICasualties.