Iraq says 85,694 people have lost their lives in the country's violence from 2004-2008, in the first official report by the government on the Iraqi death toll since the war began.
I assume this includes neither insurgent/terrorist losses and security force casualties. It certainly fits with reports on monthly casualties we've seen all along.
While this is certainly a large sacrifice for a country of just over 25 million to endure, it isn't the horrific levels that anti-war fanatics bandied about without ever pointing to actual bodies or graves. We found the mass graves of the Saddam era, after all.
It would be good to have a break down of causes. I'd bet the percentage that died from US bombs or ammunition is pretty small. And even most of those wouldn't be our fault since the enemy fought amonst civilians--making shose shielding behind the casualties ultimately responsible for their deaths.
