Les Roberts - Measuring Deaths in Iraq, 2004

Les Roberts speaks on the methodology behind the study published in the Lancet - Mortality before and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq: cluster sample survey.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• anti-war
• iraq
• casualties
• lancet
• civilian
• roberts

[Aegius]

The AP put the death toll at 16,000 in 2006. The Iraqi Body Count project put the total at 60,500. The Lancet was a great mag. Now it is a piece of politicized garbage.

[adycousins]

Yeah, I'm sure you were an avid reader and now you've cancelled your subscription, you just don't like the truth, fool...don't pretend that you know anything other than how to use google

[wotdoesitmatter]

And from your blog, "The group (IBC) has said at the time of the release of the study that 45,000 Iraqis have died"

This is a TOTAL DISTORTION of the IBC data. I hope you find time to correct it. Cheers.

[wotdoesitmatter]

And from your blog, "The group (IBC) has said at the time of the release of the study that 45,000 Iraqis have died"

This is a TOTAL DISTORTION of the IBC data. I hope you find time to correct it. Cheers.

[wotdoesitmatter]

Beg your pardon, that google link should have been "dailymotion +misusing +ibc"

[wotdoesitmatter]

Deaths as a result of the US-led invasion don't have to be violent. A lack of drugs for simple treatable disorders or diseases for example contribute to 'excess deaths' - Diarrhea has been killing more in some areas since 2003 than under the height of sanctions. Then there are increased cancer victims due to depleted uranim etc, etc. The list is endless.

[wotdoesitmatter]

You have demonstrated my point. IBC don't know how many "citizens have been killed" at all. They do have "gut feelings" though. I'll take it that 45,000 was the number used at the time but you should realise that it was 45,000 VIOLENT, CIVILIAN deaths that were VERIFIED in TWO or more media reports or listed in some morgues in Baghdad and elsewhere more recently. Please google, "dailymotion +ibc" and select first video result for example of misuse.

[Timesobserver]

Believe me, most of the media has been against the war and I don't know how figures from IBC have been misused. At that time in 2006, IBC said that 45,000 Iraqi citizens have been killed during the war. Of course, that number is too high but nowhere near as high as 655,000. You can read my column where there are more links. It's at timesobserver DOT blogspot DOT com

[wotdoesitmatter]

Same old apologists in this comments section Ady. Aegius and Newseditor72. They can be found all over youtube dissing 'sound and robust' scientific mortality studies and endorsing and distorting IBC's data. Notice Aegius comment 1 year ago.

[wotdoesitmatter]

But you can say that IBC have allowed their data to be misused and abused by pro-war journalists and media corporations and even cited by the US/UK governments to downplay other sound scientific studies. This constant misuse has brainwashed the people.

Q) How many people have died according to Iraq Body Count?

[Timesobserver]

Actually, Adycousins, the National Journal is read all types of politicians, Republicans and Democrats and is nonpartisan. And Iraq Body Count and the Iraqi government has big problems with the study's figure. And you can't tell me that Iraq Body Count is a right-wing smear group? They are against the war!

[adycousins]

I have now read the article you refer to. Right wing smear by right wing denialists seems about right. The study used the same methodology that has been used elsewhere, in situations such as Sudan, where those that attack this study used figures created by the dame methodology. If right wingers used an established study and came up with a figure of 200 it would be worth debating but that's not the case.