Wow!

Check out this chart!

Wow! Excellent work by Gateway Pundit. The raw numbers come from the Congressional Research Service from a report prepared specifically for Congress. Looking further into the report you find that the rate for in-theater deaths for Operation Iraqi Freedom is almost equal to the rate for in-theater deaths from the Persian Gulf War which was hailed at the time for its low cost in terms of loss of life.

I will also say that I have seen reports that suicide is a big problem with the military today but the numbers point out that the worst year for self inflicted deaths during the Bush administration (188 deaths) is still better than each year of the Clinton administration's first term and equal to Clinton's fifth year in office.

I am respectful of the fact that each number listed represents an American serviceman who gave the last full measure of devotion to his country. I just want people to understand the historical perspective. There are more missing in action from the Korean War than there are dead from Operation Iraqi Freedom.