Human Cost of War in Iraq (11-1-04)

The war in Iraq has claimed the lives of 1,100 troops. On Saturday nine more American marines were killed in Iraq. It was the deadliest day for U.S. forces in six months.

Unofficial estimates of the number of Iraqis killed in the war have ranged from 10,000 to 30,000. But a survey conducted by scientists from Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University and Al Mustansiriya University in Baghdad compared the death rates of Iraqis before and after the American invasion. They estimated that 100,000 more Iraqis have died in the 18 months since the invasion than would have been expected based on Iraqi death rates before the war. The scientists acknowledged that the survey was difficult to compile and that their findings represent a rough estimate.

Most of the widespread violent deaths, the scientists reported, were attributed to coalition forces. "Most individuals reportedly killed by coalition forces," the report said, "were women and children."

Source: Op Ed Column by Bob Herbert, The New York Times, 11-1-04.