Murder rates in Iraq

[Jaymes]

Started this thread so as to not disrupt BFD's announcement.

Annual worldwide servicemember combat fatalities are still lower than the murder rate in Detroit.

But what are the fatalities for those stationed in the Middle East like?

I can assure you that if worldwide they're lower than Detroit, the Middle East (which naturally makes the bulk of the numbers) will remain even lower.

This is simply not true. Troops stationed elsewhere in the world with a very low murder rate can tug the average down, despite whether the Middle East's murder rate is high or not. If you average a few high numbers with many low numbers, you're going to end up with a lower number.

Does anyone have any solid numbers on the murder rates in the Middle East? Or even Iraq? I've been Googling for the past few minutes and can't find anything.

 

[Buttercup]

Troops stationed elsewhere in the world with a very low murder rate can tug the average down, despite whether the Middle East's murder rate is high or not. If you average a few high numbers with many low numbers, you're going to end up with a lower number.

Right. I'd be curious to know the exclusive Iraq ratio without factoring in all branches of the military.

 

[krashlocke]

http://www.icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx

In due fairness, my figures were a bit off - Detroit's still 50% safer.

Also, Buttercup, these figures do suggest that despite what many of the people I've spoken with have said, from a strictly combat-related fatality point of view, the Air Force and the Navy are much safer.

Either way, you're worse off working in a convenience store. Now THERE'S a place where you WILL get into combat!

 

[krashlocke]

Iraq: 705 per year

Detroit: 346 (2003)

 

[Buttercup]

http://www.icasualties.org/oif/default.aspx
Also, Buttercup, these figures do suggest that despite what many of the people I've spoken with have said, from a strictly combat-related fatality point of view, the Air Force and the Navy are much safer.

Oh I'm sure of that as well. However, Navy men do die on duty from non combat related accidents. Not too long ago a Navy chief on my son's ship was decapitated while landing a chopper. Doesn't make me feel too good knowing Justin does that job on occasion.

 

[evearael]

Let's see...
...according to http://www.icasualties.org/oif/ there have been 650 American servicemember fatalities this year.
...according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_force_in_Iraq the American force size is 145,000
So by my very rough calculations, out of the American force in Iraq, fatalities are at 0.4%.

 

[krashlocke]

Oh I'm sure of that as well. However, Navy men do die on duty from non combat related accidents. Not too long ago a Navy chief on my son's ship was decapitated while landing a chopper. Doesn't make me feel too good knowing Justin does that job on occasion.

If memory serves me, OSHA lists an Aircraft Carrier is the most dangerous location for workplace accidents... Just feel comforted that with the military's (often overzealous) focus on safety right now that these sorts of issues are news - not the norm.

 

[Buttercup]

Let's see...
...according to http://www.icasualties.org/oif/ there have been 650 American servicemember fatalities this year.
...according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_force_in_Iraq the American force size is 145,000
So by my very rough calculations, out of the American force in Iraq, fatalities are at 0.4%.

I guess that rate is smaller than I thought. Sometimes I force myself to read the particulars about each troop killed even though I want to plug my head in a hole and pretend it didn't happen. I feel the least I can do is read as much as I can about the soldier, think about him for a bit, and thank him for his ultimate sacrifice serving our nation...even though I am against the war. It's hard to lose someone so young and I especially hate to think of them suffering for any length of time. War sucks.

 

[krashlocke]

War sucks

Absolutely. I don't care who the history books claim as the victor, nobody wins. The best that we can hope for in any conflict is that in some way, no matter how far off, the end result will ultimately be a more a positive one than the failure to act.