Hiding the Cost of War

Thanks to Mike for sharing this. Take a look at this article in the Boston Herald - Pentagon lies with stats. The number of U.S. troop casualties (and fatalities) are at least double that being reported. In part because the Pentagon is excluding "non-combat" casualties (including things like suicides).

Mike also forwarded the following analysis from an acquaintance:

US military occupation forces suffered at least 135 combat casualties in the week ending Feb 13, as total casualties reached at least 52,194.The total includes 26,042 killed or wounded by what the Pentagon classifies as "hostile" causes and 26,152 (as of Feb 5) from "non-hostile" causes such as accidents, suicides and illness serious enough to require medical evacuation. US media divert attention from the actual cost in American life and limb by routinely reporting only the total killed (3,125)as of Feb. 13 and rarely mentioning the 23,530 wounded in combat. To further minimize public perception of the cost, they cover for the Pentagon by ignoring the 25, 539 military victims who suffered "non-hostile" injuries and illness (as of Feb 5), although the 3,125 reported deaths includes 613 (up six from last week) who died from those same causes. Another 154 American "contractors" have also been killed since they invaded Iraq. Although not defined as "casualties" since they have been discharged from active duty, as of July 20, 2006, a total of 152,669 U.S. military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan had filed disability claims, over 100,000 of which had been granted.

Of important notice here are the disability claims. Those casualties seem to not be part of anybody's report. What is the true cost of this war?