need help debunking "9,000 dead in iraq" meme...

help!  a good progressive friend of mine is circulating an email with the ol' "9,000 dead soldiers in iraq because they don't count the guys dying on the way to germany" meme.

i tried to say it was thoroughly debunked on dkos, but my friend says her source insists they are meticulous about their sources.

any direct links to diaries/articles helping debunk this myth?  i truly feel that it's in our side's best interest not to spread disinformation.

also, while you're at it, help me reach a million hits before july 10!

listen to skippy the bush kangaroo's radio interview on wrfl, the univ. of kentucky's station, by ben carter of bluegrassroots.org.  

skippy waxes befuddled on a number of subjects, including but not limited to, a mangled explanation of the downing street memos, ayn rand, putting christ back into christianity, half a masturbation joke, why blogging is important but not as important as the information itself (same goes for the main stream press), gov. ah-nold, black box voting, and the site's co-bloggers!

help skippy reach a million visitors by his third blogiversary on july 10!  click away today!

at least i didn't put "breaking" in the title of this diary!