For quite some time, when writing about the quagmire that is Iraq, a variation of the phrase, “where nearly 2400 Americans have died” has been used. Today we are officially at 2399 dead U.S. servicemen and women, so I thought I’d take a few minutes and tell you about Edward Davis III, who was killed yesterday when a bomb struck his Humvee…the last of the “nearly 2400”:
Sgt. Davis…leaves behind his wife, Preena, daughters Priscilla, 11, and Alicia, 4, and his 2-year-old son, Edward Davis IV.
“He excelled at everything he did,” his father said. “I just want the people of Lake County and Waukegan to know that Waukegan lost one of its very own”
On this day that Davis died, what does another U.S. serviceman say about the situation in Iraq?
“There’s two kinds of Iraqis here, the ones who help us and the ones who shoot us, and there’s an awful lot of ’em doing both.”
And what are the Iraqis saying on the day Waukegan lost one of its own?
Only 1 percent said they trust U.S.-led coalition forces for their personal protection.
It is time to once more ask, how do you ask a man to be the last one to die for a mistake?
Davis had volunteered for his tour of duty in Iraq, telling his father that, “it’s what I do. I’m a Marine.” And as always when I read a sentiment like this, I’m reminded of a soldier’s explanation for why they do what they do:
“Hey Hoot, why do you do it man? Why? You some kind of war junkie? I won’t say a goddam word. Why? They won’t understand. They won’t understand why we do it. They won’t understand, it’s about the men next to you. And that’s it. That’s all it is.
Davis did his duty, was true to himself and his fellow-Marines. And now his devastated family and friends are left behind while:
Anger and malaise have driven a relentless insurgency that is mostly homegrown — few foreign fighters have been found here — and has inflicted more than its share of violence on American troops.
And the answer to the many questions on how to deal with the insurgency and the ever-increasing sectarian violence? Stay the course…don’t cut and run…freedom is on the march. And at the same time, a recent poll run by a conservative think tank finds that:
A majority of Iraqis say their country is in dismal economic shape and getting worse, with 3 of 4 respondents also describing security in the country as poor…
And on and on it goes, no matter how many corners are turned, no matter how many times purple fingers are waved…again, how do you ask a man to be the last one to die for a mistake?
Crossposted at Daily Kos and <a href”
And on it goes…
While this president tries to save face there are thousands of families who are being torn apart. Truly, how does he sleep?
We’ve been inundated lately with news stories about dead soldiers from small towns in Missouri and Illinois.
I too wonder how this President can sleep at night.
I suppose it’s easy when everyone surrounding you keeps telling you that you’re doing a heck of a job…not to mention never going to funerals, so the numbers remain just that. Numbers.
It is very difficult to convince someone they’re wrong when they believe they’ve been chosen by God. God chose George W. Bush to reshape the middle east. sigh.
Ah yes…I remember when he said (when asked if he went to his father for advice about Iraq), that he consulted a “higher authority.” Of course, I assumed he meant Dick Cheney…
or allowing photos of returning bodies of soldiers in caskets…I read somewhere if I recall correctly that instead of coming home on military transports now the bodies are just being put into regular cargo space with other ‘luggage’ and shipped home-not flag draped, not anything-according to one mother of her son being sent home. It’s cheaper that way and I don’t doubt that this is what is happening and also wonder once again where the damn media is on a story like this. Once dead they are no longer any use to bush and company except as propaganda value….by bush repeating his idiotic statements that we honor the dead and they haven’t died in vain therefore we must continue to kill and be killed.
I seem to recall reading that the dead are only “honored” until they are unloaded at Dover…after that, it’s up to the family.
“One man is a tragedy, a million is a statistic” – Joseph Stalin
And that only represents the official number. We know more have been killed or died either in transport or once they reach a hospital-but are not counted. Add to that the number of American mercenaries or contractors killed which I read companies are admitting to almost 450 killed, to say nothing of suicides of soldiers either overseas or when they come home and that ‘official’ number is pretty much a lie-as is everything this administration has tried to sell the public. Neither are coalition troops who have been killed acknowledged much in the MSM here.
That family is in agony beyond words because of bush. That is incredibly sad.
I posted this over at Daily Kos too and in the comments someone pointed out that Stalin said that one death is a tragedy and one million deaths a statistic. And this administration seems to be much more interested in statistics.