Living with War: Memorial Day 2010

For the past four Memorial Days [2006, 2007, 2008, 2009], I've honored the memory of those who have died in the War in Iraq, or whatever we're calling that quagmire this year, when we talk about it at all.

Since last Memorial Day, the number of American soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq has grown from 4,300 to 4,400. Another 100 men and women have died; another 100 families will never see their loved ones again. Officially, 32,000 have been wounded, and God knows how many more are emotionally scarred from the insanity they have lived through.

For what? For nothing I can see.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad, I'm thankful, and I'm proud there are American men and women in the U.S. armed services protecting us.

I just don't see how their sacrifices in Iraq are at all protecting America's shores or America's interests. People in the Middle East have been warring amongst themselves for thousands of years. That hasn't changed in the seven years American troops have been there. 4,400 American deaths haven't changed that.

Weapons of mass destruction were never shown to exist in Iraq, and the terrorists who hijacked the planes in 2001 weren't from Iraq.

The Iraq War has never been properly explained or justified.

As I've said for the past five years: Bring 'em home, now!

Memorial Day 2010 | American Soldiers Dead in Iraq | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Living with War: Memorial Day 2009

So we're now living in the Era of Change, are we? New president, new vice president, new name for the War in Iraq.

For the past three Memorial Days [2006, 2007, 2008], I've honored the memory of those who have died in the War in Iraq, now known as simply a part of the Overseas Contingency Operation. George Orwell would have been proud of the way the name of the War in Iraq has been changed to lessen the reminder that our young men and women are still dying for no obvious Cause.

Other than the name, has anything changed?

Yes. Its results are increasingly doubleplusungood.

The American death toll in Iraq has now reached 4,300. Since last Memorial Day, another 219 Americans soldiers have died in Iraq. Another 219 American families will never again see their sons and daughters, their fathers and mothers.

We can no longer blame the War in Iraq on George W. Bush's oil tycoon friends or on dastardly Dick Cheney's secret identity as Dr. Strangelove, or on the non-existent WMD's non-possessed by a now long-dead Saddam Hussein or even on our national need for revenge for 9/11 against a country that wasn't involved in those horrific attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

The responsibility now firmly rests on Barack Obama, who has already waffled on his own timetable for troop withdrawals from Iraq.

As I've said before: Bring 'em home, now!

Memorial Day 2009 | Death Toll in Iraq War | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Cheney: 'How many dead Americans is Iraq worth?'

President George W. "Captain America" Bush is probably out riding a motorcycle today. Vice President Cheney is probably going hunting (with) his friends. And I plan to drink wine and fire up my new grill.

But at least 4081 American families will "celebrate" this Memorial Day with sadness. Their sons and daughters won't be joining them at family parties. They're dead, you see. Killed in Cheney's Quagmire.

Bring 'em home. Now.



Memorial Day 2008 | Dick Cheney | George W. Bush | Iraq War | Cheney's Quagmire | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Senate honors American dead in Iraq, Afghanistan

I stand with the United States Senate in their Resolution today "honor[ing] the service and sacrifice of the men and women who have lost their lives in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and honors their families and loved ones."

On paper, the Senate Resolution goes on for 264 pages. Each of the names of 4,009 servicemen and servicewomen who have died in Iraq and the 487 who have died in Afghanistan is listed.

There should not be a Number 4,010.

Bring them home. Now.

Iraq War | Military Deaths | Peace | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

After five years in Iraq, has anything been accomplished?

The fifth anniversary of the Fiasco in Iraq passed last week. This "Operation Freedom" once commanded above-the-fold headlines, and was the number one topic in our print, television and Internet news media.

Now, stories from and about Iraq comprise only about three percent of our news.

It isn't sexy or glamorous anymore. It isn't popular anymore. Beating the drums of war doesn't command the respect and inspire the patriotism it did five years ago.

Though "mission accomplished" was declared quite a while back, the Iraq Fiasco has continued, and has now lasted longer than the U.S. Civil War. It has lasted longer than World War I. It has gone on longer than World War II.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee wants to stay in Iraq another 100 years. The Democratic contenders pander to whatever crowd they are talking to, and have no real plans for war or for peace. The only candidate who would have just ended the war was famously ignored by the media (giving rise to the phrase "You lie like Anderson Cooper").

4,000 Americans have been killed. 30,000 men and women have been severely wounded; these soldiers and their families will deal with the ramifications of their injuries for the rest of their lives, and billions of dollars will be spent on their medical treatment and rehabilitation. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died or been injured, and the Iraqi infrastructure has been blown to bits. The Internet counters continue to roll upwards; the price of the Insanity in Iraq has eclipsed $505,000,000,000 (five hundred five billion dollars) in direct costs.

For what? Tell me, please. What has this War in Iraq accomplished?

Bring 'em home. Now.

War in Iraq | Iraq News | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

Living With War: Memorial Day 2007

On Memorial Day last year, I posted this article showing the number of American deaths in the Iraq War.

Here's an update as of Memorial Day 2007:

Since war began (3/19/03): 3455
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 3316
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 2994
Since Handover (6/29/04): 2596
Since Election (1/31/05): 2018

Source: AntiWar.com

Iraq War | American Casualties | Death | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com

'Mission accomplished'?

1501 days.

3,337 dead American military men and women.

24,314 wounded American military men and women.

421 billion dollars.

So far....

Death | Wounded | Body Count | Iraq War | American Casualties | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com