FactCheck.org on Iraq Casualties

[Babar]

FactCheck.org on Iraq Casualties

[Babar]

From Factcheck.org, the site Cheney meant to refer people to when he told people to go to "factcheck.com."

90% of the Casualties

Cheney disputed Edwards's statement -- often repeated by Kerry -- that US forces have suffered "90% of the coalition casualties" in Iraq, saying that in fact Iraqi security forces "have taken almost 50 percent" of the casualties.

Both men have a point here, but Edwards is closer to the mark.

Edwards is correct counting only "coalition" forces -- those of the US, Britain and the other countries that took part in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. According to CNN.com, which keeps an updated list, 1,066 US service men and women had died from hostile action and other causes during the Iraq operation as of Oct. 5, of a total 1,205 for all coalition countries. That's just over 88% of the coalition deaths.

We know of no accurate count of deaths suffered by Iraqi security forces, but an estimate reported both by the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post puts the figure at 750. Lumping those estimated Iraqi deaths with fatalities suffered by coalition forces produces a total of 1,955. Of that, the estimated Iraqi portion is 38% (not "almost 50%" as Cheney claimed) and the US total amounts to 55%

[fall-apart]

Cheney's point was that Edwards didn't want to count the sacrifices of the Iraqi security forces because it wouldn't let him tout the "90%" US casualties.

[Babar]

Even then Cheney was off by a large margin saying that the Iraqis have taken 50% of total casualties.