Iraq War Casualties: When Words Aren't Enough

The New York Times has a very short article about the rising casualty rate in Iraq including the fact that there were some 1900 people (including coalition forces) killed in the country during January, 2007 compared to 800 in January, 2006.

But sometimes words are not enough.

They've also produced a map showing the types of casualties and where and how they died.

This map, based on data from the American, British and Iraqi governments and from news reports, shows the dates, locations and circumstances of deaths for the first month of the year. Given the vast size of Iraq and the communications difficulties inherent in war, the information may be incomplete. Nonetheless, it is our effort to visually depict the continuing human cost of the Iraq war.

It's a sterile look at a war in which most reporters can't move beyond the streets of Baghdad but at least it's an attempt to provide a broader and concise picture of the chaos throughout the country.