[mrsmith]

I assumed that attacks were stepped up to affect our elections but I was surprised how closely the rate of fatalities correlate with the campaign season.

The rate of wounded correlates exactly.

I'm sure the media will make sure voters are aware of how the terrorists manipulate them...

[MikeA]

Further proof that Democratic divisiveness on the war in Iraq has been noticed by the terrorists and that they think if they spill enough American blood they can effect not only a retreat from Iraq, but change the US political landscape. And the American moron voters are close to showing them they're right.

Americans have GOT to wake up to what the Democrats have done to harm our country's stand in the war on terror and to hurt our people fighting in Iraq. The terrorists have noted from the US media and Democratic rhetoric that we can't hack it, that we can't take a little difficulty and adversity to oppose them and they're playing to that lack of spine by working to kill more of our forces to help Democrats. Do Americans REALLY not see that the terrorists see the Democrats are better for them than are Republicans and are trying to put them into power???

WAKE UP AMERICA!!! WE'RE ABOUT THE LOSE OUR COUNTRY TO YOUR IGNORANCE!!!!!

[rhombus]

Rama-dama-ding-dong?

[caisson71]

I don't think there's enough said about this. It is obvious - to those who care to listen - that there is a correlation between terrorist activities and our political activities. Terrorists que on Dimocrap talking points and kill more Americans and Dimocraps use increased loss of American lives to promote terrorist objectives - get the US out of Iraq - to advance their political agenda. General Giap of the NVA did the same thing while launching the TET Offensive. 20,000 more American lives were lost while the Dimocraps quit and started their political retreat.

[tobyhill]

The terrorist and enemies learned from Vietnam the way to win a war, influence American elections. The more they can peddle chaos through our MSM, whether true or not, the more the American people see their government as incompetent and thus it influences the elections. If the Rats win the terrorist will claim that even the American people are on their side against their own government and those same people know the terrorist are too strong.

[eyespysomething]

Do you have the rates for the rest of the months? Could you post those, or a link to them?

[Praxeas]

Contrary to what people may think here, the terrorists don't have the ability to increase American casualties at will. If they did our casualties would be considerably higher all the time.

November 2004 was Operation Phantom Fury when we re-took Fallujah. Ninety Four of those 137 deaths were caused by that battle alone.

[mrsmith]

Us Casualties (combined wounded and killed) in Iraq compared for election and off-election years:

Aug-03 216 Sep-03 278 Oct-03 457 Nov-03 418

Aug-04 961 Sep-04 787 Oct-04 711 Nov-04 1566

Aug-05 626 Sep-05 594 Oct-05 701 Nov-05 483

Aug-06 647 Sep-06 847