Grim News For The War On Terror

As predicted, on Christmas day, almost four years after it began, the war in Iraq has [surpassed 9/11 in deaths]—including the 2,749 killed at the World Trade Center, the 184 at the Pentagon and the 40 passengers aboard United Flight 93.  Officials announced today that six more American soldiers have been killed, raising the total death toll to at least 2,978—that's five more than the number killed on 9/11. This on the heels of President Bush's call to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps, a costly undertaking given the fact that [reinstating the draft doesn't seem to be an option](http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/16317616.htm?source=rss&channel=inquirer_nation). Raising incentives and bonus money, adding recruiters and increasing the military advertising budget (we're not talking Uncle Sam posters—have you seen the snazzy we'll-make-you-into-superman commercials of late?)  should result in an extra 10,000 volunteers a year, say many military experts. But this would cost at least $1.2 billion more annually—ouch. Iraq is the longest war the all-volunteer Army has fought.