Thursday, June 15, 2006
White House: 2,500 fatalities a 'sad benchmark'
Calling it a "sad benchmark," White House spokesman Tony Snow stressed the president's desire to end the war in response to a question about the 2,500 U.S. service members killed since the start of the Iraq war.

The number, which includes seven Department of Defense civilians, is made up of 1,972 service members classified as killed in action and 528 deaths classified as "non-hostile." (U.S. and coalition casualties)

"It's a number," said Snow. "Every time there's a 500 benchmark, people want something.

"The president wants the war over now. Everybody wants the war to be over now. The one thing we saw in Iraq this week is further testimony to the quality of the men and women who are doing that, and the dedication and determination to try to ensure the people of Iraq really do live in a free, effective democracy of their own creation and design.

"Any president who goes through the time of war feels very deeply the responsibility for sending men and women into harm's way, and feels very deeply the pain the families feel. And this president is no different. ... It's always a sad benchmark, and one of the things the president has said is that these people will not die in vain."
Posted By CNN's Washington Bureau: 6/15/2006 01:50:00 PM ET | Permalink
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