Iraq - 60,000 The Magic Number

There is something magic about the number 60,000 in Iraq. I'm not sure why it's that particular number, but it pops up everywhere.

The latest to use it is well known anti-war activist Dahr Jamail (just google him) who cites "local humanitarian and other sources" claiming "the number of Iraqis detained by occupation forces is now well over 60,000 -far in excess of the commonly quoted official figure of 17,000".

We are not told who these "other sources" are so we could presume they are the terrorists. As for "local humanitarian" sources, they are no friend of the coalition either.

But where else does the magic number 60,000 crop up?

Some estimated before the war that 60,000 Iraqis would die as a result of the war. The San Francisco Chronicle goes further and says we already killed 60,000 Iraqis. Of course their revered UN puts the figure much lower at around 24,000.

Then there's John Pilger, "the Michael Moore of Great Britain, wrote that United Nations sanctions killed more than 60,000 Iraqi children each year."

It's also the same number of visitors this anti-war site claims it gets everyday.

This anti-war site says 60,000 is the number of "mercenaries in Iraq collected from over 30 countries" by the US.

While others say "The fidayeen outfit comprises about 60,000 Saddam loyalist irregular troops and is believed to be commanded by Saddam's son, Uday."

Strangely the magic numberis the same number of Iraqi security forces on October 10, 2003.

And 60,000 expat Iraqis living in Iran registered to vote in Iraq's recent election.

60,000 is also the number of Baathists removed under the "US-backed program to "de-Baathify," the government".

Still others claim 60,000 is the number of innocent Iraqis Saddam killed with chemical weapons.

Did you know that the population of Mosul in 1926 was 60,000? I didn't.

The next time you see 60,000 mentioned in reference to Iraq, I'd be skeptical and research it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------