[lbo-talk] Sad Leninism.

[John Thornton]

I realized right after I sent this I should have grabbed the link.
I simply Googled "Red Cross South Ossetia estimated deaths" and this was 
one the pages that came up.
Having seen the pictures from Tskhinvali I don't see how the toll could 
be less than 1000.
Any reported numbers much below 800 are immediately as suspect as 
anything much above 1500 in my opinion.
Everybody lies during a military conflict.

John Thornton

Gar Lipow wrote:
>> The Red Cross says independent observers have confirmed at least 1600 dead
>> civilians in South Ossetia.
>>
>> John Thornton
>>     
>
>
> Can you provide a link please.
>
> Because what I'm seeing from the Red Cross are complaints that they
> can't access South Ossetia.
>
> http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=94517709-8236-4cb5-a8f2-0b251b50405b
>
> I'm also seeing that Russia seems to have lowered its estimates:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7572635.stm
>
> I'm sure the 44 estimate is too low. But if the 1,600 number proves to
> be off by around a factor of ten that really does justify the term
> "dispoportionate" as a description of what Moscow did.  Given U.S.
> actions in Iraq and Afghanistan (just to mention the most recent U.S.
> invasions) we are in no position to criticize. But we don't have to
> excuse or be too ready to accept Russian numbers without questioning
> them either.
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