With PC Advisor (UK) today I received “The Hutchinson History Reference Suite.”
Idly browsing I clicked on “Air Raid” and the entry included the following snip.
“During the Gulf War 1991 the UN coalition forces made thousands of air raids on Baghdad, Iraq, to destroy the Iraqi infrastructure and communications network (some 250,000 civilians were killed).”
250,000 seems a bit over the top to me. ???
The number seems to be around 15,000 (no one can be absolutely certain). No idea where 250,000 came from but it is clearly wrong no matter how hard you want to spin it.
From:
http://www.fair.org/media-beat/021205.html
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=14696
http://www.american-reporter.com/2170/382.html
http://www.coastalpost.com/03/01/20.htm
http://www.rockymountainbullhorn.com/Archives/January%202003/reGulfWar_0103.html
http://flag.blackened.net/pipermail/infoshop-news/2002-December/002094.html
Many times early reports of casualties are extreme due to duplication of sources: police and paramedic reports, which overlap, for instance. These numbers may still be floating around, and were grabbed by the op’s source. Though 250,000 from 15,000 is a lot of duplication, it seems there was more to their claim.
Is it possible that they included ALL civillian deaths in Iraq from this time period? The statement only insinuates that these casualties are from the raids themselves, it does not directly state so (unless the op paraphrased). But would they (the source) gain anything for this misleading? Could just be a mistake.