Comments on: Arkin on the Lancet Megadeath Study http://www.lies.com/wp/2006/10/14/arkin-on-the-lancet-megadeath-study/ believe nothing... Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:57:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Ted http://www.lies.com/wp/2006/10/14/arkin-on-the-lancet-megadeath-study/#comment-34716 Ted Wed, 25 Oct 2006 13:56:42 +0000 http://www.lies.com/wp/2006/10/14/arkin-on-the-lancet-megadeath-study/#comment-34716 First off, by these numbers, you must commend the forces from both sides for their precision. The death rate among the elderly was exactly the same in the three years after the invasion as it was before. There hasn't been any disruption in basic services that would affect the weaker part of the population, no major disease outbreaks, and they haven't been significantly touched by any of the air strikes or random bombings. Unfortunately, the death rate among children did go up by 50%. Much less than the rest of the population, but much more than the elderly. Normally children are affected much the same as the elderly in a crisis. The main difference is that they are more curious/careless near unexploded munitions, are more likely to crowd near strangers (coalition soldiers) and make better human shields (and fighters for the teens) than the elderly. Of course, that’s only if these numbers are believable. This study claims that the violent death rate before the invasion was about .1%! I guess Saddam had 'non-violent' ways of killing people. Actually, by this study the only violent deaths in Iraq before the invasion were from coalition air strike or other explosion. The murder rate was zero! A Middle Eastern Arab nation without a single 'honor' killing! The state didn't execute anyone for any crimes at all! The Swiss look like Charles Manson disciples when compared to the pre-invasion Iraq. It's refreshing to see a blog that prints exactly what it has in the title. I hope you will lend your title to the Washington Post and CNN so those entities can start being similarly forthright. First off, by these numbers, you must commend the forces from both sides for their precision. The death rate among the elderly was exactly the same in the three years after the invasion as it was before. There hasn’t been any disruption in basic services that would affect the weaker part of the population, no major disease outbreaks, and they haven’t been significantly touched by any of the air strikes or random bombings. Unfortunately, the death rate among children did go up by 50%. Much less than the rest of the population, but much more than the elderly. Normally children are affected much the same as the elderly in a crisis. The main difference is that they are more curious/careless near unexploded munitions, are more likely to crowd near strangers (coalition soldiers) and make better human shields (and fighters for the teens) than the elderly.

Of course, that’s only if these numbers are believable. This study claims that the violent death rate before the invasion was about .1%! I guess Saddam had ‘non-violent’ ways of killing people. Actually, by this study the only violent deaths in Iraq before the invasion were from coalition air strike or other explosion. The murder rate was zero! A Middle Eastern Arab nation without a single ‘honor’ killing! The state didn’t execute anyone for any crimes at all! The Swiss look like Charles Manson disciples when compared to the pre-invasion Iraq. It’s refreshing to see a blog that prints exactly what it has in the title. I hope you will lend your title to the Washington Post and CNN so those entities can start being similarly forthright.

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