Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

Ron Paul
stated on September 5, 2007 in a debate in Durham, N.H.:
"We've lost over 5,000 Americans over there in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and plus the civilians killed."
true mostly-true
By Jody Kyle September 9, 2007

Fatality count isn't that high

Paul's numbers are off, but not by a lot.

According to the Defense Department, 3,741 American troops had been killed in Iraq as of Sept. 5, 2007. The corresponding figure for deaths in Afghanistan is 372.

In addition, 232 American civilian workers have been killed in Iraq, according to the latest report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

Official figures are difficult to come by for civilian deaths in Afghanistan, but the Web site icasualties.org, which tracks casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, lists only four American civilian deaths in Afghanistan.

Featured Fact-check

So, add up the military deaths, combined with the American civilian casualties from the SIGIR report and icasualties.org, and it totals 4,349. This figure is significant, but short of Congressman Paul's assertion of over 5,000.

Sign up for PolitiFact texts

Our Sources

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Jody Kyle

Fatality count isn't that high

Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.

Sign me up