:  Generally unreported is the enormous amount of  reconstruction going. This doesn't make for exciting news, but it does explain why most of Iraq is quiet. Reconstruction progress can be found at http://www.usaid.gov/iraq/updates/.

The pattern of casualties has changed dramatically in Iraq, compared to past wars. In Iraq, combat operations have produced 315 combat deaths and 2.293 combat wounded. That's 12 percent of the casualties being killed. For the past century, 20-25 percent of the casualties were killed. Better protection, better training and better medical care have all combined to lower the number of soldiers killed and, although it is not as obvious, the overall number of casualties.