THE REAL FRONT LINE

"BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Violent deaths among Iraqi civilians far exceeded those of soldiers or police during the first six months of this year, according to figures obtained Thursday from separate Iraqi government ministries.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, 1,594 civilians were killed, according to the Ministry of Health...

By contrast, a total of 895 security forces — 275 Iraqi soldiers and 620 police — were killed in bombings, assassinations or armed clashes with insurgents, according to figures from the interior and defense ministries.

The number of insurgents killed during that six-month period was 781, the government said."

It's a tragedy - and it's always true. The civilians bear the brunt of any war, whether it be from the enemy abroad or the enemy at home. For those 1,594 people, things are definitely not better than they were before.