Winning in Iraq

This calendar of US military dead during the current Iraq War shows that in every month except one, there were more U.S. deaths in the second year than in the first year of the war, and that so far there's been more deaths every month except one of the third year of the war, as compared with the second.

What's particularly striking is if you compare the months of May-June-July for all three years -- a time when there were no major battles:

U.S. Deaths May 2003-2004-2005: 31, 80, 88

U.S. Deaths June 2003-2004-2005: 34, 52, 89

U.S. Deaths July 2003-2004-2005: 42, 60, 65

August is shaping up to fit well within this trend.

As things get worse and worse, the pro-war establishment is naturally enough preparing to declare victory and go home.