Subtitle: Fixing the Facts Around the Policy — Baghdad Edition
We’ve all heard of the so-called progress that has been made in Iraq this last month. Namely, that the number of deaths resulting from sectarian violence have fallen since the US recently deployed more troops to baghdad to search out and destroy insurgent strongholds. Although those official claims have recently been revised upwards from the original claim of 550 to 1,536, it seems even that higher number is likely erroneous, because, according to this report, the US military has been deliberately undercounting the number of dead bodies:
BAGHDAD, Iraq – U.S. officials, seeking a way to measure the results of a program aimed at decreasing violence in Baghdad, aren’t counting scores of dead killed in car bombings and mortar attacks as victims of the country’s sectarian violence.
In a distinction previously undisclosed, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Johnson said Friday that the United States is including in its tabulations of sectarian violence only deaths of individuals killed in drive-by shootings or by torture and execution.
That has allowed U.S. officials to boast that the number of deaths from sectarian violence in Baghdad declined by more than 52 percent in August over July.
But it eliminates from tabulation huge numbers of people whose deaths are certainly part of the ongoing conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. Not included, for example, are scores of people who died in a highly coordinated bombing that leveled an entire apartment building in eastern Baghdad, a stronghold of rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
(cont.)
I guess this is what was meant by the Bushies new buzz phrase “Adapting to Win.”
[Quoting Ken Mehlman on the Sunday, August 13, 2006, edition of Meet the Press]
“Look, the fact is our mission in the war in Iraq is critical. We agree on that, we agree that it’s wrong to cut and run. But look we’re not coming in and saying stay the course. The choice in this election is not between stay the course and cut and run. It’s between win by adapting and cut and run. Let me tell you what we’re doing. The fact is before the successful Iraqi elections, the number of troops went up from 137,000 to 160,000. That’s adapting to win. Recently we increased troops in Baghdad, adapting to win. We changed how the training of Iraqi forces occurred to involve more Iraqis. That’s adapting to win.
It’s so simple. Adapt the numbers to win the hearts and minds of Americans at home on the question of whether we’re winning or losing the war in Iraq. Because that’s the only war that matters to them — the War on Public Opinion back in the US. And as we know all’s fair in love or war.
Even lying to your own people 24/7. Hermann Goering would be so proud.
“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”
Pentagon Disinformation campaign
