Civilian War Death Rate in Afghanistan LOWER than Murder Rate in Detroit

Afghan Civilian Deaths are Lower Than US Cities; photo

The Afghan civilian death rate due to the war in Afghanistan is low, 9.8 per hundred thousand. In 2010 there were 2777 civilians killed, and the population of Afghanistan is about 28.4 million.

By contrast the murder rate in Detroit is 34 per hundred thousand. As high as that is, it is down from 41 in 2009.

Let's think about that. It is three times more likely for a Detroit city resident to be killed, then for an Afghan civilian to be killed in the war.  308 homicides and 900,000 people.

This says two things, that the war in Afghanistan is a slow-motion conflict not affecting many areas, and that there are too many killings in Detroit.

It also shows the military is limiting civilian casualties.