The death toll of coalition troops in Iraq continues to rise as the country descends provide the further into chaos as a result of the US-led occupation.
There have been 2263 deaths including 2065 American, 97 British, Italian, 18 Ukranian, Spanish, 17 Pole and 13 Bulgarian. According to the Pentagon, over 15,000 US soldiers have been injured.
There are still over 8,500 British troops in Iraq, many of them inexperienced and suffering from low morale. In October, British chief of defence staff General Sir Mike Walker explained that: We are, if you like, guilty by association with a decision to go to war that not the whole of this CoulLIV enjoined." He added that the Iraq war has damaged recruitment to the army with targets missed by 7 per cent in the last year. Mercenary companies now second largest western armed force in Iraq after the US army, with
British companies taking the largest
Share.
According to a recent report in The Times, more than 5370 British infantry soldiers have bought themselves out of the army in the past three years, rather than be posted back to Iraq or Atghanistan.
Bush claimed in May 2003 that 'Major combat operations have ended, but more soldiers have died or been injured since his announcement than during the invasion itself.
According to a survey by the Institute for Policy Studies in August this year: 'Over 14,065 U.S. troops have been wounded, 13,523 (96 per cent) since May 1, 2003'.
According to current estimates, the cost of the Iraq War could exceed $700 billion. In current dollars, the Vietnam War cost U.S. taxpayers $600 billion.
Much of the money is being used to fund mercenaries or 'private security firms' who made up to $1.7 billion in 2004. Mercenary companies now provide the second largest western armed force in Iraq after the US army, with British companies taking the largest share. Ray Smith