There was a post on DailyKos recently debunking this story and included work from iCasualties.org. The DailyKos post, with links to a statistical database, is available here: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/20/24437/8204

The newly created Open CRS network has a page focusing on casualties in Iraq. This site includes papers prepared for the Congressional Research Service - a wing of Congress.

http://www.opencrs.com/document/RS21578/

The most recent report comes from June 6, 2005. Since the war "officially" started on March 19, 2003 it lists 1,674 deaths and 12,762 wounded in action. Of those, 6,367 have not returned to duty. I do not believe these counts include media, private contractors or other US citizens on the ground in Iraq.

If there is some sort of conspiracy holding down the numbers, it would be quite a feat. The story of 9000 casualties has not gained traction among "mainstream" media outlets as no mention comes up in Lexis Nexis or Ebscohost databases.