Investigate the Number of Iraqi Civilian Murders!

Most Brits 'back Iraq toll inquiry'


From correspondents in London
02feb05

A MAJORITY of Britons want an investigation into the number of Iraqis killed in their country since the 2003 invasion by US-led forces, according to a poll released today.

The research, commissioned by the Count the Casualties campaign, found nearly four times as many British people backed the call for an inquiry as opposed it.

The three-day telephone poll conducted by MORI late in January took a nationally representative sample of 1012 adults aged over 18 throughout Britain.

Asked if an investigation should be held into total Iraqi casualties since the 2003 invasion, 35 per cent "strongly supported" and 24 per cent "tended to support" the idea.

Only 15 per cent were opposed.

The coalition of groups that commissioned the poll called on the Government to order an inquiry.

"Failing to count casualties shows a fundamental disrespect for human life, allows the human cost of the invasion to grow uncontrollably and tells Iraqis that they simply don't matter," Gerard Rosenberg, director of Waging Peace, said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has previously rejected calls for an independent inquiry, saying he saw no need for one.

Any totalling of the Iraqi civilian war dead could embarrass Mr Blair ahead of a general election expected by May in a country that mostly opposed the war.

Mr Blair's reputation has suffered over intelligence from British spy services used to justify the invasion of Iraq, and the subsequent failure to find any weapons of mass destruction Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was said to have stockpiled.

The United States, Britain and other allies have suffered nearly 1200 deaths in combat since the invasion began.

Nearly 6400 Iraqi military deaths were recorded for 2003 while estimates by academics and peace activists, based on reports from at least two media sources, have put the civilian toll at close to 17,800 at its upper limit.

But The Lancet medical journal carried a report in October in which US scientists put civilian deaths at 100,000.

© The Australian