"Don’t believe the U.S. military when it says it doesn’t ..." Topic

…keep body counts.

"Earlier this month, a reporter asked the question that usually comes up when the United States gets involved in a sustained military campaign. Just how many enemy troops — in this case, Islamic State foot soldiers — have U.S. forces killed in more than five months of aerial attacks?

The military's answer was basically the same given to all similar questions going back more than a decade. Counting the dead is "not the goal," said Pentagon chief spokesman John Kirby, a Navy admiral.

Since the Vietnam War, with its gruesome and inflated U.S. tallies of enemy dead, the Pentagon has denied keeping body counts. But, in fact, the military does add up the number of enemy fighters it believes it has killed — and proudly boasts of the totals in official documents that it never intends for public circulation…"
Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Not true. Snipers like Chris Kyle's number of kills are well publicized and earn them bragging rights.

Yet can't win properly and outright, bodycount does not count for strategic wins.
Yes brave soldiers doing business but politicians losing the war after the troops win the battles, me I look to territory taken won and KEPT, then you sell it back to the losers over a long period for a lot of reparations, people get the message.
And if in the national interest (basically keeping the people back home safe you never give it back.) Worked before why not now? in these wars of 'fairness' the enemy only sees you as weak.
What's bodycount? Moral boosting? Guess there's a lot of vets who after it all over and a long way down the line, they stop bragging when they realise it was not part of a 'win'.
Winning and occupying that's a bodycount, other wise its just dangerous hunting season.
How I see it. Cheers

"then you sell it back to the losers over a long period for a lot of reparations, people get the message." What message did the Germans get at the end of WWI? I don't think I like the message….

This may be a term that is getting lost in the "strict definition"

The military might not keep or announce a body count.

But for the individual---even more so when the soldier has earned a medal---the term is "confirmed kills"

But, in fact, the military does add up the number of enemy fighters it believes it has killed — and proudly boasts of the totals in official documents that it never intends for public circulation…"

Not real sure about this statment ? May be a bit biased ?

fighters it believes it has killed — and proudly boasts

Maybe a bit heavy handed, pompous, etc., the author David Axe sounds like someone who may never had to worry about going to war, etc. … Easy to make such comments if you are typing in a comfortable chair, in a warm clean office environment, etc. … I may be wrong ? He want to change his name to Daivd Lamb … Regardless from a tactical standpoint, body count may mean something. As from a Grunt's POV, the more of the enemy that was killed, means that many less that can kill your comrades and yourself. From a young [and not so young] Alpha male standpoint. Killing the enemy and in large numbers. Is what you do … if not for payback, but a matter of survival of, again, not just you but your comrades. Otherwise from a strategic standpoint it means little in today's conflicts.