650,000....That would be like killing everybody in Tasmania and then some. Terrible!

Les,
the civilian toll is awful --it's the 2006 Lancet Report--- and hard to justify in the name of democracy and freedom. You can see why many Iraqi's have fled to Syria and beyond, and why many of the Iraq's who have remained want the US and UK out of Iraq.

I would flee in that situation. Contrary to the endless claims from the Bush administration and the Howard government and its followers -- the trend in Iraq during the occupation, continues to worsen significantly.

Ever since the "threat" rationale for the war vanished (ie., Saddam had WMDs which would be used against us), the principal, if not exclusive, "justification" for the war was that it would improve the situation of the Iraqi people.

Clearly, that has not happened. Nor is it likely to.

The Lancet figures are a concoction. Half a million died in the fire bombing campaign against Japan in WW2 which was more than died at Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. Is Lancet seriously trying to suggest that more civilians have died in Iraq post 2003 than in those campaigns in an era of total war?

Colin,
The Lancet published two studies on the effect of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation on Iraqi mortality, the first in 2004, the second (by many of the same authors) in 2006. The studies attempt to estimate the number of excess deaths caused by the occupation, both direct (combatants plus non-combatants) and indirect (due to increased lawlessness, degraded infrastructure, poor healthcare, etc.)I appreciate that the Lancet surveys are controversial because their figures are much higher than those in most other major reports

As I understand it epidemiologists in the field of conflict and public health supported the methodology and findings. This new study highlights a significant increase in civilian deaths since 2003.

The methodology used is consistent with survey methodology that has long been standard practice in estimating mortality in populations affected by war.

epidemiologists in the field of conflict and public health supported the methodology and findings. The methodology used is consistent with survey methodology that has long been standard practice in estimating mortality in populations affected by war.