Free Speech and Big Numbers

Tim Blair takes a close look at the 654,965 reported deaths in Iraq.

* It is larger than the total number of Americans killed during combat in every major conflict, from the Revolutionary War to the first Gulf War.

* It is more than double the combined number of civilians killed in the bombings of Dresden, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.

* It is a larger number than were killed in Germany during five years (and 955,044 tons) of WWII bombing.

Here's an added on sad part to that story that I haven't heard mentioned yet. The NYTimes story mentions that the study used the same methodology used when giving numbers of deaths in Darfur and Congo. So is there genocide happening in Darfur and Congo? It seems clear to me that it is, but now a person has to wonder. Back to Iraq:
Omar from Iraq the Model is not happy.

To me their motives are clear, all they want is to prove that our struggle for freedom was the wrong thing to do. And they shamelessly use lies to do this…when they did not find the death they wanted to see on the ground, they faked it on paper! They disgust me…

This fake research is an insult to every man, woman and child who lost their lives.
Behind every drop of blood is a noble story of sacrifice for a just cause that is struggling for living safe in freedom and prosperity.

Let those fools know that nothing will stop us from walking this road and nothing will stop our friends and allies from helping us reach safe shores. There’s simply no going back even if it cost us more and their fake statistics will not frighten us…our sacrifices, like I said, make us proud because our bloods are not digits in those ugly papers. Our sacrifices are paving the way for future generations to live the better life we couldn’t live.

Speaking of numbers lost in genocidal situations the French just passed a bill making it a crime to deny the Ottoman genocide of Armenians. These thought crimes seem over the top to me. (the Holocaust can't be denied either) Now watch this example of the slippery slope. Now the Global Warmers want to make it a crime to deny global warming exists.

Grist Magazine’s staff writer David Roberts called for the Nuremberg-style trials for the “bastards” who were members of what he termed the global warming “denial industry.”

UPDATE: The Mongolians want in on the act too. Bidinotto notes:

In my never-ending quest to chronicle the lunacy of this planet, this story ranks right up there near the top of the list.

Apparently taking their cues from radical Muslims, who would use coercion to protect the reputation of Muhammad, the Mongolians are now about to pass a law demanding respect and honor...for their bloodthirsty conquering hero, Genghis Khan:

What a day.

UPDATE: David Roberts has retracted his Nuremberg Trial reference. (ht Scott)