Silver Lining

Here’s the good news on Coalition casualties:

So far, U.S. losses have been 41 troops killed in combat, 13 from accidents, seven captured, 16 missing and 160 wounded. The casualty rate per day has been declining as the war went on. The vast differences in training, leadership and equipment quality between coalition and Iraqi troops has not only kept friendly losses low, but made the losses lower as the fighting went on. This is because the coalition was able to improve their tactics quickly, in reaction to Iraqi tactics or unexpected conditions.

More troops, fighting more battles, closer to the enemy capital — with declining casualty rates.

The armies and Marine Corps that went into Iraq were the fiercest ever. The ones that come out will be fiercer still.