Malaysia's Nation Service (NS) began in 2003. Today it is the year 2008. 2008 is NS is the fifth stint. Each stint last three months.

5 stints x 3 months per stint = 15 months total NS time

Each stint is divided into three batches that begin NS at different times. Each batch has around 24,000 kids.

5 stints x 3 batches per stint x 24,000 kids per batch x = 360,000 kids.

Since NS began in 2003, there have been around 21 dead. The latest one being reported just on May 9, 2008.

21 deaths over 15 months of NS time is 1.4 deaths per month.

21 deaths out of 360,000 kids is 0.0583% of all participants dying.

Now compare the US invasion of Iraq:

The Iraq War began in March 30, 2003. Today it is the year 2008. Since the War has been continuous, that's 62 months of war so far. The total number of American and British soldiers sent in tours is around 150,000 professional troops.

Since the Iraq War began 4,000 American soldiers have died (They've taken at least 23,000 terrorists with them, so much the better for the rest of us potential terror targets.)

4,000 deaths over 62 months of action is 64.516 deaths per month.

4,000 deaths out of 150,000 troops is 2.667% of all combatants dying.

Therefore, the Iraq War has 46 times the rate of death of Malaysia's National Service. The Iraq War also has 45.7 times the lethality percentage of Malaysia' National Service (rounds to 46 times).

Conclusion? Malaysia's peacetime, no combat training, no enemy fire National Service is 46 times less lethal towards its participants than the US Armed Forces' wartime, constant combat, plentiful enemy snipers and roadside bombs and suicide car bombs Iraq War.

God forbid what kind of statistics we will reap in the event of actual war.