Iraq Issues: Effect of Attacks and Casualties

Insurgents reportedly launch hundreds of attacks each month against U.S. forces. Insurgency groups overtime have moved to more sophisticated methods such as shaped charges, which concentrate bomb attacks, and infrared lasers, which cannot be easily jammed. These attacks contribute to the rate of civilian casualties which in turn further the country’s insecurity and limited supply of electricity, water and oil.

U.S. and British Causalities

As of January 29, 2007, 3,080 U.S. soldiers, 130 British soldiers and 123 soldiers from other nations (allied with the coalition) have died in Iraq. 22834 U.S. soldiers had been wounded. With this, over 8000 American soldiers have deserted since the beginning of the conflict in Iraq, as reported by The Pentagon. Servicemen report desertion as being connected to the war with Iraq, though The Pentagon suggests the rate of desertion is below normal peace-time levels.

As of 2007, Iraqi forces reportedly lost more than 6000 policemen and more than 2,000 soldiers killed, according to the Wikipedia count.

Since Coalition forces do not usually release death counts, it is difficult to determine the exact number of insurgents killed by the Coalition or Iraqi forces. Through September 2007 more than 19,000 insurgents were reported to have been killed in fighting with Coalition forces and tens of thousands were captured (including 25,000 detainees in U.S. military custody at the time), according to military statistics released for the first time.