In a performance worthy of former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Al-Sahhaf, also known as "Comical Ali," a spokesman for one of the remaining Sunni insurgency groups in Iraq told Al Jazeera last month that 44,000 U.S. troops had been killed in that country.That is about 11 times the actual number of U.S. casualties in Iraq, which hit 4,000 near the end of March, according to the Associated Press.
Ibrahim Al-Shammari, spokesman for the Islamic Army of Iraq, told Al Jazeera that the discrepancy between the 4,000 casualties reported by Western news agencies and the 44,000 claimed by his group was caused by the U.S. not counting the deaths of soldiers "who have Green Cards."
"Dr. Al-Shammari, what does it mean to you that 4,000 U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq?" a moderator on Al Jazeera asked Al- Shammari during a March 24 broadcast translated by the BBC.
"This figure means a lot to us because it is the first time the number of U.S. deaths amounts to 4,000. This means a lot to the American people," said Al-Shammari. "The figure we have is 4,000 plus 40,000, and not 4,000 as they claim. This shows the deep trouble the U.S. Administration engaged-"
At this point, according to the BBC translation, the moderator interrupted Al-Shammari. "Excuse me, the figure you have is 44,000?" the moderator asked.
"The Americans do not count those who have Green Cards," explained Al-Shammari. "The Americans do not count those who die in explosions on a daily basis. The Americans do not count deaths among the logistic support teams and other Green Card holders, as I said," he added.
"They only count holders of U.S. nationality. Our people in the Islamic Army had found earlier some of the mass graves for U.S. soldiers in Al-Iskandariyah area, Al-Habbaniyah, and elsewhere; and there are recorded videos of these," he said.
"Do you have an accurate calculation and a clear follow-up on this issue that allows you to announce the figure 44,000?" asked the moderator.
"Yes, we in the military office have precise statistics that are highly professional in calculating the daily losses and casualties of the enemy," said Al-Shammari.
The Islamic Army of Iraq is one of the leading remaining Sunni insurgency groups operating in Iraq. In a Congressional Research Service report on Iraq published in December, analyst Kenneth Katzman noted that there are numerous Sunni insurgents factions that have "no unified leadership."
"Some groups led by ex-Saddam regime leaders, others by Islamic extremists," he wrote. "Major Iraqi factions include Islamic Army of Iraq, New Baath Party, Muhammad's Army, and the 1920 Revolution Brigades."