In a flurry of weekend press releases, the Department of Defense named another 26 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq. These deaths bring the total killed since Nov. 8 to 61. Such facts may conflict with “official numbers” released to the unquestioning media. However, in an apparent response to this article, the DoD is now reporting that 38 US troops have died in Fallujah. The discrepancy in numbers may stem from unreported deaths. We will only know after the troops’ names are officially released.
The 50-plus killed this week is indicative of a growing insurgency likely to spread to previously peaceful cities. Over twenty of the deaths occurred in Baghdad, Mosul, Abu Gharb, and Babli province (just south of Baghdad). This indicates that the violence is only spreading. Although the military concedes that “winning” in Fallujah won’t quell the insurgency, they continue to pursue policies that suppose there exists a static number of Iraqis willing to fight the occupation: if they could only kill them all, democracy and calm would flourish. Of course, it is more likely that these incursions will create more insurgency.
We have compiled the following list of the estimated 40 US soldiers and Marines killed in Fallujah:
| Spc. Jose A. Velez | Fallujah, combat |
| Sgt. Byron W. Norwood | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Wesley J. Canning | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Nicholas H. Anderson | Al Anbar Province, non-combat |
| Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Three Marines Killed | Fallujah, combat |
| Lance Cpl. David M. Branning | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Brian A. Medina | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| 1st Lt. Edward D. Iwan | Fallujah, combat |
| Cpl. Nathan R. Anderson | Fallujah, combat |
| Sgt. Morgan W. Strader | Fallujah, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Justin D. Reppuhn | Fallujah, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Zapp | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Abraham Simpson | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Erick J. Hodges | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| 1st Lt. Dan T. Malcom, Jr. | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Petty Officer Third Class Julian Woods | Fallujah, combat |
| Cpl. Theodore A. Bowling | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Cpl. Romulo J. Jimenez II | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Command Sgt. Maj. Steven W. Faulkenburg | Fallujah, combat |
| Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell | Fallujah, combat |
| Sgt. Lonny D. Wells | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Wood | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Cpl. William C. James | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Staff Sgt. Gene Ramirez | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Burns | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Lam | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| 2nd Lt. James P. Blecksmith | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Staff Sgt. Theodore S. Holder II | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Pickering | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Sgt. Jonathan B. Shields | Fallujah, non-combat |
| Lance Cpl. Nicholas D. Larson | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Lance Cpl. Juan E. Segura | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Sgt. David M. Caruso | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| Staff Sgt. Russell L. Slay | Al Anbar Province, combat |
| James C. Matteson | Fallujah, combat |
| Cpl. Joshua D. Palmer | Al Anbar Province, non-combat |
Stay tuned for further updates (last updated 4:30 pm EST).
