Iraq: Safer Than D.C.

Iraqi civilian death statistics compiled by Rep. Steve King, R-IA, indicate that, contrary to the impression made on the evening news, Iraq actually has a lower civilian violent death rate than Washington, D.C., and pre-Katrina New Orleans. Iraq is also substantially safer than several foreign countries. After seeing media coverage of Iraqi violence King said: “I began to ask myself the question, if you were a civilian in Iraq, how could you tolerate that level of violence. What really is the level of violence?”

King calculates an annualized Iraqi civilian death rate of 27.5 per 100,000 based on U.S. military and independent statistical sources.

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As American leftists pretend to decry violence in Iraq, they celebrate the rise of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. Pro-surrender activist Cindy Sheehan appeared with Chavez January 29. On the stage at the “World Social Forum” in Caracas, Sheehan noted that singer and activist Harry Belafonte recently called Bush “the greatest terrorist in the world,” and said, “I agree with him. George Bush is responsible for killing tens of thousands of innocent people.” Chavez encouraged Sheehan to run for President of the U.S. and he announced that Sheehan would again be protesting in Crawford, TX.

Ironically, Venezuela has 31.5 violent deaths per 100,000—14.5 percent higher than Iraq. It is Chavez who is responsible for “killing tens of thousands of innocent people.” The son of a recent Venezuelan murder victim explains, “The president is always saying it’s OK to steal in order to eat.”

Chavez often provides justification for violence in his speeches: “The rich are condemned to Hell. Christ himself condemned them. I say it from the heart: to be rich is evil.”

The world’s hand-wringing ‘humanitarians’ should demand that Chavez make Venezuela as safe as President Bush has made Iraq—or face impeachment by the Venezuelan Congress.

Venezuela is not alone in suffering at the hands of left-wing dictators or wannabe dictators: Columbia, hounded by leftist narco-guerrillas, every year looses 61.7 of its citizens to violence per every 100,000.

South Africa, led by an increasingly corrupt African National Congress looses 49.6 per 100,000 to violent deaths every year. In Jamaica—ruled for decades by the socialist People’s National Party—it is 32.4.

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But high murder rates are not limited to overseas leftist-ruled countries. In the American urban centers—where African-American loyalty to leftist Democrat politicians is ‘rewarded’ with dependency creating social programs—levels of violence top Iraq and Venezuela.

In Washington, D.C., it is 45.9 violent deaths per 100,000. This means civilians living in Washington D.C.—home to many leftist operatives who spend all day scheming to undermine President Bush’s efforts in Iraq—are 63.5 percent less safe than Iraqi civilians.

Other American cities with higher violent civilian death rates than Iraq include:

• Detroit: 41.8 per 100,000

• Baltimore: 37.7 per 100,000

• Atlanta: 34.9 per 100,000

• St. Louis: 31.4 per 100,000

They are all overwhelmingly Democratic.

The American city with the highest civilian death rate was New Orleans before Katrina—with a staggering 53.1 deaths per 100,000—almost twice the death rate in Iraq. With no sense of irony, corrupt Louisiana Democrats blame Bush for the Katrina disaster.

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