1. United States
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Read of the day…some of Trump’s advisors are worried at what the war is doing to his popularity by causing higher prices. And, oh yeah, maybe by the deaths of 18 servicemembers. And there you have it folks. Popularity is the concern. So what’s a cheap accounting trick to ease the pain of those deaths and raise his popularity? The Pentagon website changed the number of military personnel killed in the Iran war. The NYT reports that the Pentagon has dropped the names of the four Americans killed in Jordan and Iraq, reducing the number of US personnel killed in the conflict from 18 to 14. Three military officials told the reporters that the number was revised because the four were killed after Trump announced the ceasefire in April. But acting press secretary for the Pentagon said the four were dropped owing to “temporary data disruptions.” Be as disingenuous as language allows, but dead is dead. And these people would not be dead, before or after a ceasefire, if they were not dragged into the president’s war of choice. If I were the family of those killed I would be outraged and heartbroken by the cold calculation seemingly designed to make it all seem not so bad after all. Only 14. Not 18. Do you like him better now?