'30,000 Iraqis killed since start of war'
5.56PM, Mon Dec 12 2005
President George W Bush has estimated that about 30,000 Iraqi citizens have died since the allied invasion of the country in March 2003.
His figure for the death toll was in the range given by Iraq Body Count, a US-British non-government group, which currently says between 27,383 and 30,892 civilians - rather than all Iraqi citizens - have been killed in Iraq since the invasion.
Its figures are based on media reports which often fail to capture all deaths in the country.
Other estimates, including one done by scientists and published in the medical journal Lancet, put the civilian death toll at as high as 100,000.
Mr Bush also acknowledged the setbacks in efforts to create a democracy in Iraq but said elections this week will help the country mark a turning point in the Middle East.
Mr Bush struck a realistic tone in a speech and question-and-answer session, predicting insurgent violence will not end with Thursday's parliamentary elections and saying much work remains to make Iraq's fledging democracy inclusive to all.
'30,000 Iraqis killed since start of war'
Reply With Quote
Social Networking Bookmarks