Scotland Yard

The AP reports tonight, "Another U.S. helicopter lost in Iraq."

"A U.S. Army helicopter crashed Friday in a hail of gunfire north of Baghdad, police and witnesses said--the fourth lost in Iraq in the last two weeks. The U.S. command said two crew members were killed, and the top U.S. general conceded that insurgent ground fire has become more effective."

"The United States has lost more than 50 helicopters in Iraq since May 2003...However, the loss of four helicopters since Jan. 20 has raised new questions about whether Iraqi insurgents are using more sophisticated weapons..."

You know what I'm really tired of? The rhetorical euphemisms. The helicopters were not "lost". They were downed, obliterated, rocketed, but not lost. Perhaps if we called things what they were, we could see them better, and their impact upon us would be more appropriate. This sounds like old ladies gathering to talk about their "lost husbands," like they were so many stray dogs; they are dead, not lost.

"The deaths raise to at least 3,092 the number of members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003..."

With all the advanced tabulation machines today, can't we do better than "at least 3,092" dead, or "more than 50 helicopters" lost? More than 50 could be 52, or it could be 100. At some point, it will be too much, so we need to be precise about these details.

"In Baghdad, police said they found the bullet-riddled bodies of 23 people throughout the capital — apparent victims of Shiite or Sunni death squads."

Brilliant. Yes, likely Shiites or Sunnis. Probably not Javanese. I'd say they are ready for Scotland Yard.

by Lisa