Iraq Casualties Down

From the Washington Post website an editorial that does not specify an author writes about the death caused by hostile action being substantially lower then past months. The questioning of a U.S. Military report that said casualties in Iraq were down sparked this editorial. Also, Hillary Clinton’s challenge of the testimony given by General David H. Petraeus, who said that “civilian casualties have risen.” The death total in the month of September 2007 is the lowest since July of 2006 and one of the five lowest since the beginning of the war. The numbers are surprising considering the number of troops being deployed in more hostile areas. Last year during the Muslim month of Ramadan there were nearly 100 deaths but luckily this year death the death total is closer to 40 deaths and Ramadan is almost at an end.
Unfortunately, it is hard to predict if this casualty trend will keep its pace or increase rapidly. One of the possible reasons for the decrease in deaths could be the Sunni tribes in Anbar province switching sides and declaring war on the al-Qaeda. Even if this is a temporary decrease in action I feel, it could be a good time to decrease the amount of troops in Iraq to keep the death totals from rising once again. Even though the war is not over and General Petraeus believes that there is no letup to the bloodshed in Iraq, due to the decrease in hostile force it would be easier to evacuate soldiers and return them home safely.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/13/AR2007101301071.html