Enjoy responsibly: "Truth and myth on the death toll in Iraq" by John Rentoul

Tony Blair's biographer and opinion-maker at the Independent John Rentoul wrote another interesting piece on the death toll in Iraq.

Before reading his latest fatigue though it would be instructive to read the following few paragraphs written by the same author on the same issue on the same newspaper in 2004 and 2005:

“However, this number is only the central point of a range that extends from 8,000 to 194,000. This huge disparity was mocked ignorantly by one American commentator as ‘not an estimate, it's a dartboard‘. It was also defended, equally ignorantly, by the editor of The Lancet, who said: ‘It's highly probable the figure is 98,000. Anything more or less is much less probable.’ Both wrong. What the figures say is that there is a 95 per cent chance that the true figure lies between 8,000 and 194,000... It is statistically respectable, which is why The Lancet article passed its peer reviews, but it produces estimates hedged about with great uncertainty. And there are good reasons for thinking that the true figure is towards the lower end of The Lancet's range.” (‘We should be counting the dead in Iraq, but let’s not get the figures out of proportion like this,’ John Rentoul , The Independent on Sunday, December 10, 2004)

“even Iraq Body Count, an anti-war campaign, puts the total attributable to coalition forces at under 10,000, rather than the figure with an extra zero that is the common misconception of anti-war propaganda”. (‘Islam, blood and grievance,' John Rentoul, The Independent, July 24, 2005)

Now enjoy responsibly!

Truth and myth on the death toll in Iraq
By John Rentoul
Wednesday, 02 April 2008

Important Note: This article is used to treat the panic and anxiety symptoms associated with the ongoing Iraq genocide. State-corporate media may cause dependence, especially if it has been used regularly for an extended period of time, or if it has been used in high doses. In such cases, if you suddenly stop using state-corporate media, withdrawal reactions may occur. Report any such reactions to your doctor immediately. When stopping extended, regular use with this drug, the dosage should be gradually reduced as directed to help prevent withdrawal reactions. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Properly stop the medication when so directed. This will lessen the chances of becoming addicted. You may also find help by reading the following:

- ‘WITH TOTAL DESTRUCTION’ - THE FAILURE OF JOURNALISM IN IRAQ

- Answers to Questions About Iraq Mortality Surveys

- Counting Iraqi Casualties -- and a Media Controversy