When it comes to determining facts and figures regarding the death toll in the Iraq war, there are a lot of questions. It seems that facts are calculated regarding US soldiers that have met their fate, however when it comes to determining how many Iraqis have died, no one is counting- or counting accurately.

The Iraq war began in March 2203, and at the onset there were a number of Iraqi casualties. In fact, we heard of one of the earliest “conquests” in reports of Iraqi death tolls. Some of the major victories in the Iraqi war have been defined by the deaths of key enemy figures. However, other than these notable deaths, it is hard to pinpoint exactly how many Iraqis have died.

For American soldiers, their deaths are reported and their names are only released after the military gives the official release. If you look on the Internet, you are sure to find conflicting information regarding the number of casualties. This is true for both American troops as well as Iraqi civilians. When it comes to finding the exact number and listing of names regarding American soldiers that have given their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom, your best source is the Department of Defense. They maintain an up to date list that includes all of the soldier’s names. You can access the list here:

Operation Iraqi Freedom Casualty List

According to the Operation Iraqi Freedom Casualty list there are 3, 628 soldiers that have lost their lives during the war.

These numbers are much lower than compared to the number of estimated casualties in Iraqi. Though it is difficult to pinpoint an exact number, the majority of resources show that the estimated figure of Iraqi civilian deaths since the war began in March 2003 is over 600,000. If you were to judge the war purely by looking at the number of casualties, you would surely come to the conclusion that the U.S. is winning for even though we have suffered great loss; the numbers are significantly less for the coalition troops then for Iraqis.

In addition to the amount of casualties, the number of estimated American wounded since the onset of the war is estimated to be near 30,000. The number of wounded American soldiers is growing and the challenges ahead are great. Many wonder how this wounded generation will face their lives ahead, filled with physical obstacles, brain injuries, and a staggering number of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. For those who have survived the Iraq conflict, there are still many who continue to deal with the casualties of war on a daily basis.

There are many organizations on the web that are trying to keep track of specific numbers regarding Iraqi casualties but it is virtually impossible to ever know for sure. There are many refugees that are fleeing Iraq and seeking shelter in neighboring countries, such as Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon. Currently, the United Nations refugee agency and the United Nation’s Children’s Fund are seeking $129 million dollars to help tens of thousand Iraqi refugee children enter school.