Appears the Admin is trying to find a way to lessen the impact of the deaths in Iraq. Now they are seperated into combat and non-combat.


WASHINGTON (AFP) - A team of US army safety experts are in Iraq to study a recent surge in non-combat deaths that have coincided with extended 15-month deployments for US troops, a senior military official said Monday.
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Lieutenant General Carter Ham, operations director of the Joint Staff, said commanders in Iraq were concerned enough about the spike in non-combat deaths that it has asked for an assessment by the army team.

According to Pentagon figures, 29 soldiers died in August for reasons unrelated to combat, and another 23 died of non-combat causes in September. That compared with just seven in August last year and 11 the following month.


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It's just a numbers game. Dead is dead.

If the combat deaths are down and it is because the surge is working; now there are two "good" signs--can the troops come home, now?

Sounds like the effect of a prolonged deployment is taking it's toll on troops.

Yep and that is why they are calling them non-combat deaths--suicide is such an ugly word. How happy can the troops be if that is the only answer to multiple deployments?