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US troop deaths during Iran war exceed Pentagon count by at least four

200 points · 139 comments · wslh

  1. bitcurious · · focus · HN ↗
    > The newspaper also reported, citing another unidentified official, that not all of the undisclosed deaths were directly tied to the months-long conflict but involved US personnel who were in the Middle East amid ongoing hostilities.

    If someone dies near a war, but not due to the war, is it really fair to count them as a war fatality?

    1. lukan · · focus · HN ↗
      If they are killed by houthi drones and not iranian drones, I would think so.

      If someone on a military base with no attacks going on, got a heart attack by watching the news, probably not a war fatality.

      But we don't know, so any concrete speculation is probably not very helpful.

      1. throw0101a · · focus · HN ↗
        > If someone on a military base with no attacks going on, got a heart attack by watching the news, probably not a war fatality.

        Were they at that base as a (say) mechanic servicing aircraft engines for flights over the Persian Gulf? Are the only reasons why the planes (and thus him) are there is because of the hostilities with Iran, as otherwise they would be States-side?

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