winterbadger | Paul Wolfowitz and Reality: Not Best Buddies

April 30, 2004 | WASHINGTON (AP) -- Asked how many American troops have died in Iraq, the Pentagon's No. 2 civilian estimated Thursday the total was about 500 -- more than 200 soldiers short.

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was asked about the toll at a hearing of a House Appropriations subcommittee. "It's approximately 500, of which _ I can get the exact numbers _ approximately 350 are combat deaths,'' he responded .

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American deaths Thursday were at 722 -- 521 of them from combat _ since the start of military operations in Iraq last year, according to the Department of Defense.

Again, Mr. W seems to prfer the facts he and his staff make up rather than the reality.