It’s not just a number but a harsh reality — as of March 24, 4,000 American troops had died in the war in Iraq.

According to Pentagon statistics, 55 percent of those killed were between the ages of 18 and 24, a total of 2,200; 35 percent or 1,400 were between 25 and 34. Two of the dead, Prince Teewia, 27, and Brian Henderson, 26, are from Durham.

NCCU accounting senior Aldon Williams is an Army specialist who served in Iraq from fall 2005 to fall 2006.

“It’s sad,” he said.

“It’s really depressing because we’ve been over there for a while and 4,000 is a lot.”

By comparison casualties during the Vietnam War totaled 58,193.

In a USA Today/CNN/ Gallup Poll taken March 21, more than half of those surveyed said they favored withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq within the next 12 months.

In 1970, roughly half of those surveyed wanted to withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam within 12 months.