Falluja Arithmetic Lesson

[infidel]

By Prof. Greg Palast
http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=394&row=0
Monday 15 November 2004

Today's New York Times, page 1:

"American commanders said 38 service members had been killed and 275 wounded in the Falluja assault."

Today's New York Times, page 11:

"The American military hospital here reported that it had treated 419 American soldiers since the siege of Falluja began."
Questions for the class:

If 275 soldiers were wounded in Falluja and 419 are treated for wounds, how many were shot on the plane ride to Germany?


We're told only 275 soldiers were wounded but 419 treated for wounds; and we're told that 38 soldiers died. So how many will be buried?


How long have these Times reporters been embedded with with military? Bonus question: When will they get out of bed with the military?

Today's New York Times, page 1:

"The commanders estimated that 1,200 to 1,600 insurgents had been killed."

Today's New York Times, page 11:

"Nowhere to be found: the remains of the insurgents that the tanks had been sent in to destroy. ...The absence of insurgent bodies in Falluja has remained an enduring mystery."

"Every time I hear the news
That old feeling comes back on;
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the Big Fool says to push on."
- Pete Seeger, 1967

[Rosie Cotton]

I think that question was on my sister's math homework last week.

[paulk]

If 275 soldiers were wounded in Falluja and 419 are treated for wounds, how many were shot on the plane ride to Germany?

They only said 419 were treated for wounds since the operation began, not that they treated 419 with wounds they received in Fallujah. The hospital probably also treated soldiers from Afghanistan, those who were injured during mundane duties on bases in Germany, etc.

[ASsman]

But what if the plane is going 375 mph, and plane B is traveling at 245mph bombing the shit out of Iraq. When will the war end?

[infidel]

But what if the plane is going 375 mph, and plane B is traveling at 245mph bombing the shit out of Iraq. When will the war end?
At the same rate as the British commander in charge of the occupation of Iraq after WWI said of eliminating the insurgency,
"it's like trying to eat soup with a knife."

[ASsman]

I've tried that, only works with frozen soup.