Civilians Death Rate in Iraq Less Than in Washington, DC

I have never defended Brandon's scientific credentials in this matter. That was never the point, but you are apparently too thick-skulled for that to sink in. It is slander, because Brandon has a detailed and deep grasp of the principles of physics, which he has displayed on more than one occasion.

What a bunch of idjits--what a political lynch mob.

I have never defended Brandon's scientific credentials in this matter. That was never the point, but you are apparently too thick-skulled for that to sink in. It is slander, because Brandon has a detailed and deep grasp of the principles of physics, which he has displayed on more than one occasion.

What a bunch of idjits--what a political lynch mob.

I'm definitely considering becoming a mob.

I have never defended Brandon's scientific credentials in this matter. That was never the point, but you are apparently too thick-skulled for that to sink in. It is slander, because Brandon has a detailed and deep grasp of the principles of physics, which he has displayed on more than one occasion.

What a bunch of idjits--what a political lynch mob.

Iraqi PM sick of US excuses over civilian deaths
Iraq's new Prime Minister says his patience was wearing thin with excuses from US troops that they kill civilians by mistake.

He vowed to investigate killings of Iraqi civilians in the western town of Haditha last November after local witnesses said they were shot by Marines.

"We are worried about the increase in 'mistakes'. I am not saying that they are intentional. But it is worrying for us," Nuri al-Maliki told Reuters in an interview.

US Defence officials have said charges including murder may be brought against Marines following a US investigation into the 24 civilian deaths in Haditha, a stronghold of the Sunni Arab insurgency.

"There is a limit to the acceptable excuses. Yes a mistake may happen but there is an acceptable limit to mistakes," Mr Maliki said.

"We will ask for answers not only about Haditha but about any operation ... in which killing happened by mistake and we will hold those who did it responsible."

Brandon9000 wrote:

My point was not that it's valid because comparison is possible. My point was that the mere fact that the death rates are in the same neighborhood belies the typical liberal image of civilians being killed left and right.

Do I read that right? In one breath you are admitting that the comparison is not valid. In the next you continue to assert that the article has some kind of meaning beyond being bad prose.


Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.

DrewDad wrote:

How someone can claim to be a scientist, and yet regurgitate tripe such as the article that started this thread, is beyond me.

Let me assure you that scientists are as likely as everybody else to be wingnuts, and as likely as anybody else to support their politics with bogus arguments.

DrewDad wrote:

Brandon9000 wrote:

My point was not that it's valid because comparison is possible. My point was that the mere fact that the death rates are in the same neighborhood belies the typical liberal image of civilians being killed left and right.

Do I read that right? In one breath you are admitting that the comparison is not valid. In the next you continue to assert that the article has some kind of meaning beyond being bad prose.


Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.

No, you are not reading it correctly, which is odd, since it isn't very complicated. I am saying that even the fact that the Iraqi civilian death rate is in the same ballpark as the murder rate in some American, cities belies the notion, often presented by some liberals, that Iraqi civilians are being slaughtered like cattle.

"Geese weigh more than ducks. Bears weigh more than ducks. Therefore, bears weigh the same as geese."