Rationale

Contents:

1. The human cost of war must be recorded
• 1.1   War is an abomination whose defining characteristic is the organised killing of humans.
• 1.2   Our common humanity demands the recording of war deaths.
• 1.3   Every individual killed must be identified.
• 1.4   We must use every available means to record and preserve knowledge of the dead.
2. Knowledge of war deaths must be available to all
• 2.1   The record of a war’s casualties must be made public.
• 2.2   Knowledge of war’s casualties promotes a human-centred approach to conflict.
3. US and UK citizens bear particular responsibility for events in Iraq
• 3.1   The USA and UK led the attack on Iraq.
• 3.2   No official, public record exists.
• 3.3   Initiatives independent from government are required.
4. Documenting violent civilian deaths is our current focus
• 4.1   Violent deaths are war’s first and most unambiguous lethal outcome.
• 4.2   The systematic recording of civilian deaths is neglected, when it should be a priority.
5. Media reports are a vital source of casualty data
• 5.1   Press and media reports are too rich and valuable a source to be neglected.
• 5.2   Systematic data collection ensures that as little information as possible is lost.
• 5.3   Reporting violence and its casualties is a staple activity of journalism.
6. Casualty data can be put to use in many different ways
• 6.1   Collecting incident details allows key trends and patterns to be revealed
• 6.2   Information empowers people to act.
• 6.3   Multiple uses can be made of casualty information.