Shocking Tally of Iraq Civilian Causalities

[jahcs]

There was a story on the BBC a few months ago where a reporting team was a short distance from an insurgent bombing of an Iraqi police station.

There was footage of shocked and saddened civilians. Then they cut to a man who picks up what looks to be a rusty piece of drainpipe or stovepipe and insists it is part of a missile fired by an attack helicopter that had begun orbiting the scene.

This incited the mob instantly began blaming the helicopter - which did not arrive on the scene until after the bombing. It was pulled from it's normal patrol to provide security for the bomb site. The BBC crew was trying to bring this to the attention of the Iraqi civilians. They didn't care. Many of them suddenly recalled eyewitness memories of the helicopter firing on the police station.
Mob mentality is a dangerous thing.

Also, what separates an insurgent death from a civilian death in the eyes of the media and the Iraqi populace? If an insurgent with an AK or RPG is killed you can bet other insurgents in the area will confiscate the dead person's weapons and equipment if possible. Suddenly that armed insurgent who moments before was actively fighting is now an unarmed civilian, caught in the crossfire at best, actively targeted by 'evil Americans' at worst.
That's just one benefit of not having a military uniform.

EDIT: I'd just like to add that I would bet the U.S. totals for casualties may be understated and the Iraqi totals are almost guaranteed to be overstated. Somewhere in the middle is where the truth probably lies.

EDITED EDIT: Oh, and one more thing that I would like to say anytime a discussion of Iraq comes up:

If the insurgents stop killing civilians, targeting convoys, and just blowing things up we will go home sooner!