U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq Approach 500

By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The number of American troops who have died in Iraq since the war began last March is nearing 500, more than U.S. losses in many regional conflicts of the past several decades: the Gulf War, Lebanon, Somalia, Panama, Grenada, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

So far the Iraq conflict has cost the lives of 494 American service members, including nine who were killed Thursday in the crash of a Black Hawk medevac helicopter believed shot down near Fallujah. Most of the deaths _ both combat and non-combat _ have occurred since President Bush declared an end to major fighting on May 1.

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Meanwhile, no weapons of mass destruction or ties to Al Qaeda have been found.