We'll just fix that problem of reporting dead Iraqi civilians

Iraq's Health Ministry has ordered a halt to a count of civilians killed during the war and told its statistics department not to release figures compiled so far, the official who oversaw the count told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

...The U.S. and British militaries don't count civilian casualties from their wars, saying only that they try to minimize civilian deaths.

A major investigation of Iraq's wartime civilian casualties was compiled by The Associated Press, which documented the deaths of 3,240 civilians between March 20 and April 20. That investigation, conducted in May and June, surveyed about half of Iraq's hospitals, and reported that the real number of civilian deaths was sure to be much higher.

The Health Ministry's count, based on records of all hospitals, promised to be more complete.

Well, not any more.

Many hospitals responded with statistics, [head of the statistics department of the ministry Mohsen] said, but last month Shabinder summoned her and told her that the minister, Dr. Khodeir Abbas, wanted the count halted. He also told her not to release the partial information she had already collected, she said.


"He told me, 'You should move far away from this subject,'" Mohsen said. "I don't know why."

Nor will you be finding out, apparently....

Shabandar's office said he was attending a conference in Egypt and wouldn't return for two weeks. Abbas' secretary said he, too, was out of the country and would return in late December.

The coalition spokesman said officials who direct the Health Ministry weren't immediately available for comment.  article

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.