It is significant that the front page story on the CNN website today is about the work of an important group - Iraq Body Count. This goup monitors the media and and compiles numbers about civilians killed in Iraq. They are doing admirable work, and their results mirror those of a UN group who did the same thing. Both surveys claim that approximately 25,000 deaths and 42,000 injuries have resulted from the US military attack and occupation and the resultant insurgency.

It is significant because the US media seldom if ever refers to these numbers, citing lack of credible sources. I think the most important thing to note, however, is that this number MUST be desperately low in relation to reality. The reason for this is obvious. Iraq in general has been a pretty much a media no-go zone during this conflict. Journalists who stray from safe zones are taking their lives in their own hands. There is video footage of journalists being killed by US Blackhawk helicopters firing on crowds. Other journalists have been kidnapped and killed by insurgents. Journalists have not been privy to all deaths. I would be surprised if they have covered a majority. In addition, the colossal loss of life from combatant deaths can only be guessed at. But when the US drops a Daisy Cutter or MOAB, you must assume that hundreds if not thousands have died.

The simple conclusion is that it is impossible to rely on media reports for the complete picture, but it is still deperately important for the media to discuss the subject to the best of their ability. The numbers in the media are a subset of the full count, which may never be achieved.

On an interesting aside, the CNN article initially referred to the study in the Lancet Medical Journal which used statistical methods to project a death toll of approximately 100,000. Amazingly, the CNN article now now longer mentions that study. It seems someone has asked them to remove that reference.