To—date, War on Terror combattant casualties amount to 3,049 Coalition dead and 44,779 [US] wounded from Iraq, plus 497 Coaliton dead, and 5,729 [US] wounded in Afghanistan.

Those total 3,546 dead and  50,508  [US] wounded, or total casualties of 54,054, plus  other Coalition wounded — possibly 3,809 from Iraq, and another  2,572 from Afghanistan [if pro—rata to known US figures in each case], or overall casualties of  60,435.

The recorded news totals for Iraq Police and Army total 5,644 killed, plus 18,689 Civilians killed [in 2005—06 alone]. No clue of how many were from Jihadi gangs.

The Iraqi and Coalition Forces dead total 9,190.

While each sacrifice is a heart—rending  tragedy for the family, comrades and friends of the victim, the US total of 3,153 dead to—date is a ratio of 1 dead for every 95,147 Americans, still fewer than Ireland lost on UN duty in the Lebanon, and similar to what the UK Regulars lost in Northern Ireland from 1971 to 1997. The 302 police and 297 local Ulster Defence Regiment [= Army NG] murdered in NI from a population of 1.6m, equals 1 for every 2,671, which is about 36 times worse than the US losses. Those in USA or UK, who now want to run and leave a job half—done might think of the bravery and determination of Ulster folk who withstood IRA terror from 1970, but never surrendered.

Even the heavy Iraqi Forces loss, compared to my neighbours in Ulster, are not as bad. Iraq has over 16 times as many people as Ulster, but 16 times the Ulster Security Forces dead would be 9,584, not the 5,644 recorded for Iraq. Do these brave Iraqi defenders of freedom and democracy deserve to be abandoned to the savage Jihadi beheaders, or does  the painful sacrifice of 3,546 American, British and other Coalition lives, deserve to be thrown away by quitting before victory ?

There were 2,792 murdered in Lower Manhattan on 9—11, which for New York City with 8.1m, is [pro—rate] just under half what the Iraqi Civilians suffered in 2005—06, terrible but not unbearable. But the TV or papers never seem to set the suffering in context like that.

The NYPD Motto [ "Fidelis Ad Mortem" — Faithful unto Death ] or the official Bronx one [ "Ne Cede Malis"  — Dont Yield to Evil ] say it all. The maimed like Sgt Kevin Downs, and the dead, like all their comrades still on duty, have earned unwavering support, not easy betrayal.

Tom Carew, Dublin, Ireland    10 28 06