shame of united states

From this morning's New York Times:

Iraqi civilians and police officers died at a rate of more than 800 a month between August and May, according to figures released in June by the Interior Ministry. . . .

While the figures were not broken down month by month, it has been clear since the government of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari took over after the Jan. 30 election that the insurgency is taking an increasing toll, killing Iraqi civilians and security workers at a faster rate.

In June the interior minister, Bayan Jabr, told reporters that insurgents had killed about 12,000 Iraqis since the start of the American occupation - a figure officials have emphasized is approximate - an average monthly toll of about 500.

The issue of civilian deaths in Iraqi has been a delicate one, with some contending that the Bush administration and the Pentagon have deliberately avoided body counts to deprive their critics of a potent argument against the war. Estimates have ranged from the 12,000 offered by Mr. Jabr to as many as 100,000 in a widely reported study last year. The new figures are likely to add to that debate. [Story here.]

"A delicate issue?" Strange choice of words.

Back in the land of the free, the state of Missouri executed an innocent man. This happened ten years ago. Bob Herbert writes:

If Larry Griffin were being tried today for the murder of Quintin Moss, he would almost certainly be acquitted. The evidence is overwhelming that he did not kill Mr. Moss.

But Mr. Griffin is not being tried today. He has already been executed for the murder.

While significant, this development is not that much of a surprise to those who understand that human beings are fallible and that much of the criminal justice system in the United States is a crapshoot. Whether it is this case or some other, it is inevitable that we will learn of someone who has been executed for a crime that he or she did not commit.

Judges and juries are no less prone to mistakes than politicians, reporters, doctors, engineers or center fielders. Which is why the death penalty should be abolished. [Column here.]

These two items are closely related. They both illustrate the US's low regard for human life. Only some lives are cherished and protected, and even then, only when it's convenient. One would think the young American servicepeople would be valued more highly, and only sent to war when it was absolutely necessary. But then, one would be wrong.

Americans or "allies" killed by unknown terrorists? An abomination. Iraqis killed by either Iraqi or American terrorists? A delicate issue. And of course, people are most valuable before they are born.