2,500

June 15, 2006

We reached another unfortunate milestone today in Iraq, as the Pentagon announced that the number of U.S. military deaths has reached 2500. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked if the president had “any response or reaction.” Snow responded:

“It’s a number, and every time there’s one of these 500 benchmarks people want something.”

Actually, that’s true, people do “want something.” We want a president who understands reality. We want an administration with an effective policy. We want U.S. troops to get out of the middle of a civil war.

We want U.S. casualties to not reach 2,501.

As for “it’s a number,” this is probably the worst response Snow has given at a press briefing since he said the case for war in Iraq “never changed,” which was the worst response since he said only poll results he likes count, which was the worst response since that “tar baby” flap.

Remember, the Bush gang brought Tony Snow in because he’s a communications expert and is known for being smooth. Great choice, guys.

I think what he meant was that a specific number had no bearing on policy. It was unfortunate, but I truly believe he was focusing on the fact that someone (the reporter) decided to emphasize a particular number and Tony batted it back. Just as there is no time-frame for withdrawal of the troops, there appears to be no set number of casualties that would materially change their policy.

He should have said:

“I know. It’s a tough thing when we see these numbers mounting. It reminds us of the supreme sacrifice that our soldiers are making for an action that may take a decade or more to bear fruit. We wish it was over today. We cannot arbitrarily end our involvement based upon a pre-determined number of casualties as this would not necessarily tie to what is needed to be done. The President agonizes over each loss and whether it is number 2,500 or number 1, they all mean something to each of us.”

Or something like that…

  • You’d think they would know then that there would be a question when we hit 2500 and have an answer ready to go.

    But no, Republican’ts can’t think that hard.

    The real number, the rip-roaring number that will really make America sit up and scream, will be when the U.S. deaths in Iraq equal the deaths from 9/11. Which should happen when Boy George II is still in office, if we haven’t managed to impeach Cheney (first) and him before that.

    George Will a few months ago said that the U.S. goal in Iraq was to reduce American casualties from three a day to three a week to three a month, at which point Americans would be willing to continue the occupation as long as necessary. I don’t hear much about that idea anymore ;-0

  • Yes, Mark (#1), he should have said something like that. But he’s new and so lying doesn’t come to him as easily yet as it does Dear Leader. He just showed the contempt for the questioner (and by extension, the American people) this administration feels when anyone dares ask that it comment on one of its crimes. What he said was what he meant–it’s just a number. And, sadly, I don’t think Dear Leader agonizes over anything that doesn’t affect him personally. That’s why the twins should really go to Iraq and fight for Iraqi freedom, or our security, or whatever the latest lie is that we’re there.

    In my dreams, I see the Chimp in Chief in prison and across his chest is, well, it’s just a number.

  • Well, if a movie change George’s views on a pristine piece of land in Hawaii, then he needs to go back to Iraq and view some casualties in real-time. Maybe it would help.

    These guys are Machiavellian and it probably really is just a number. It’s 2,500 people out of a population of 300 million (US Population). They think that in 50 years, it won’t even be seen as a speed bump. If there is any good-faith in PNAC’s view of the need for Democracy in the ME, then they see the number as a cost worht bearing.

    If it’s just for oil, then the cost of one life is unacceptable. But, even Jimmy Carter once made a declaration that ME oil is a national security issue for the US. I just wish Bush had just come out and said it striaght up:

    “We have decided to attack Iraq because the combination of our nations usage of fossil fuels and the ramped up demand from China and other developing 3rd world countries. We are years away from true reliance on renewable energy sources and we need to bridge the time frame by securing our oil supply, while transitioning away from ME oil. We hope that the American public can recognize the cost in terms of human life of maintaining our lifestyle and economic growth requirements. Please do all you can to conserve. In the meantime, we fight.”

  • What do you expect from a gang of warhawks who never got closer to serving their country than Georgie’s “all-day pool volleyball parties with ambitious secretaries”???

    It’s always easy to be the moron in the bar who says “let’s you and him fight,” which is all any rightie coward can ever do.

    And these people masquerade as the “Patriots.”

  • Maybe Tony Snow was just trying to paraphrase (badly) ol’ Uncle Joe: “One death is a tragedy; 2,500 is a statistic.”

    I’d be happy if Bush acknowledged there were actual lives behind that “number.” Something to suggest he feels some remorse and regret over the death of a serviceman killed in combat, but nothing that could be turned into a slick photo op for political gain.

    Has Bush attended a military funeral yet?

  • It seems Bush and his cronies don’t care in numbers of dead nor in solving real problems faced by the nation’s–or the world’s–citizens, for that matter. The people and country’s Constitution don’t seem to matter to Bush and his cronies who swore an oath to serve the nation’s citzens and uphold the country’s Constitution as best as they can.

    They have made a mockery of what America and its once highly prized principles and values had stood for until they decimated them. So much for the “morals” they claim to value so highly.

    Let’s hope our fellow Americans will join us in voting out those who mock the Constitution and vote in responsible and responsive Democrats during the upcoming ’06 and ’08 elections and restore true democracy to our shores!!

  • No it’s not a fucking number Tony. It’s 2,500 sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, neighbors, relatives and friends that have died.

    By the end of the year we will probably have equalled the total number killed in the 9/11 attacks. The U.S. got into a war where we avenge a tragedy by doubling the number of our own dead while doing nothing to make us purportedly safer and passing along the massive bill to be paid by the children of those that died and the rest of us for a very, very long time. Way to go W.

  • What amazes me about the accumulated US deaths in Iraq is the regularity of it all, regardless of events. This chart shows a line which, if I didn’t know better, looks like a production graph from an assembly line.

  • 2,500 Dead, How many with permanent Injuries.Also highlight the treatment of returned servicemen maybe it will get through to the 33% though I doubt it tthe’ye pretty thick.

  • “…just a number” – how callous! Tony Snow’s slip of the tongue reveals exactly how The Decider’s admin views the loss of life in Iraq.

    Tony is sounding more and more like Scotty.

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