The wounded and the dead

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

It's a cliche that the wounded in wars far outweigh the dead. (unless you nuke a city)

Australia has had 11 men killed in Afghanistan.The wounded have rarely been mention except almost casually,from-time-to-time. I guess that like a lot of people ,I just didn't think about it. Absence of evidence I guess.

Today the Week End Australian has reported that 83 Australians have been wounded in Afghanistan since 2005.Some gravely (loss of limbs,that kind of thing) It seems that some of the soldiers are in public hospitals under false names to protect their privacy.

My immediate response is "BULL-FUCKING-SHIT!" It's a classic case of government humbuggery. They do not want the public to know those figures. It might turn even more of us against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I occurred to me [hard as it may be to believe] that I may have over reacted a smidge. We'll see what happens during the coming week.I expect a shit storm.



http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/sto...01,00.html

The mind boggles at what the figures of US wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan might be.

[Violet]

Too many... however many the figure totals: it will be too many

[LukeMC]

I'm sure it'll "just be statistics" to many people when they hear it.

[Minimalist]

The mind boggles at what the figures of US wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan might be.

Start with this:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/o...alties.htm

[theblindferrengi]

Has not the government of Austraillia always been quite "protective" in their words (censoring the shit out of everything).

It does not suprise me that they under-exadurate their casualties, and lie about it, in fact i expect it from them.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Has not the government of Austraillia always been quite "protective" in their words (censoring the shit out of everything).

It does not suprise me that they under-exadurate their casualties, and lie about it, in fact i expect it from them.

Compared with whom?

[theblindferrengi]

All the major governments lie to their people about stuff, but does Austraillia not have things like a nation-wide internet filter, heavy gun control, compulsory voting?

I may be wrong, and if so please correct me, but theese things are not as bad it seems in places like the US, or UK.

[Eilonnwy]

"The death of one is tragedy, the death of millions is just a statistic" - Marilyn Manson "The Fight Song"

[Retorth]

To add to that, Eilonnwy:

Only the dead have seen the end of war - Plato

[Violet]

The death of a million... is a million times more tragic than the death of one