Iraq: Oil Production Target Lowered

Here’s our latest monthly, highly abbreviated version of the Iraq Index, published and updated twice a week by Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution:



Americans Killed in Action, Iraq (monthly average)
2003: 32
2004: 59
2005: 56
2006: 58
Jan. 2007: 73

Americans Killed in Action, Vietnam (monthly average)
1965: 128*
1966: 420
1967: 767
1968: 1140
1969: 785
____
* = First U.S. combat troops arrived in Vietnam, 5.3.65
Vietnam table compiled by Galen Fox using Defense Department sources.

Crude Oil Production (m. bbls./day)

Prewar Peak: 2.50
Goal: 2.10 (Revised downward, 1/07)
actual: 1.66 (1/07)

Electricity (megawatts)

Prewar: 3,958
Goal: 6,000
actual: 3,590 (12/06)

Since our last monthly report, American KIA's dropped from December's 91. But 73 KIAs is well above the average for last year, or any year. The mainstream media closely covered the sharp rise in KIA's in December, but has unsurprisingly made little reference to the monthly total for January.

Authorities dropped the oil production target substantially in January, from 2.5 million barrels a day, the prewar peak, to just 2.1 million barrels a day. December's output was above that target, but January production dropped to only 1.66 million barrels a day.

Electricity output remains low during the winter, though it rose slightly in January from December's level of 3,500 megawatts.