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STOP this madness now!
AP – 5 minutes ago BAGHDAD, Iraq – The death of a Texas soldier, announced Sunday by the Pentagon, raised the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq to at least 3,000 since the war began, according to an Associated Press count.
Spc. Dustin R. Donica, 22, of Spring, Texas, was killed Thursday by small arms fire in Baghdad, the Defense Department said. Donica was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.
Distortions Of Casualties
American Wounded, And Dead, From Iraq
Gen. Rick Hillier, the chief of defence staff, presented the staff of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl with a special Canadian Forces Unit Commendation.
‘We saw men and women, doctors and nurses and specialists at the hospital, who looked after our soldiers on the worst days of their lives. They looked after them as if they were their own.’ — Gen. Rick Hillier
Distortions Of Casualties
American Wounded, And Dead, From Iraq
In May of 2004, NBC News originated a program from Landstuhl, and stated flatly that “over 12,000 American soldiers” had had to be airlifted to that medical center for care. At the same time, the administration continued to offer vastly smaller numbers in order to prevent public alarm.
Since then, of course, there have been countless attacks across Iraq every week, and the forces of opposition to occupation detail them. The reporting exposes American casualties only when witnesses have been on the scene.
The number of wounded has ballooned to perhaps minimally 30,000 – 35,000, and these of course include amputees, soldiers with severe burns, missing eyes, extreme psychiatric disorders including suicidal or homicidal behavior, and every casualty known to warfare. The administration’s official count as of early February 2006 is approximately 16,500. (2)
The apparent strategy of the “information specialists” whom the administration employs for communication purposes is to present the news about casualties in limited doses. The limited dose approach protects Bush and his administration from further fallout on credibility regarding the Iraq policy.
Riverbend’s posts on the numbers.
and
Trapped by this all-consuming War on Terror
Imho, WoT is leading us to complete bankruptcy (aka USSR) and collapse of the American dream, our civil liberties and freedom from fear.
At least weeks ago, the Brits came to their senses and have banned use of the phrase “war on terror”
As far as I’m concerned we’re already close to complete bankruptcy-9 freaken TRILLION dollars in debt and not a damn thing to show for it. The infrastructure in the country is in almost complete collapse, funding for everything being cut and cut some more. Plus we are now a debtor country-borrowing billions a day mainly from China and Japan and the recipe for disaster has already been put into place.
May they rest in Peace.
3000
a number
I have two hands. On the one I’m thinkin that I love America. I’m a fuckin patriot, right? Those boys that got killed by the Iraqi’s, they’re patriots, aint they? They’re makin me free. And I better remember who it was that made me free. The woman around the corner could be the Mother of one of those freedom fighters.
On the other hand…… If I ever met that boy I’m sure I could be fallin in love with him. The same way I’m in love with my 19 year old son. I can put my hand on that boy’s shoulder and tell him about life. ‘Cept I’m antiwar and that boy who isn’t my son has another Daddy who tells him, stay the course, we’re proud of you. Your life will not be given in vain. Those dreams you had? They don’t count. You’re a man now. War is hell…but I’m praying for you. Oh yeah, I’m praying for you…my son.
says about it all right now because there are always lessons learned. My husband says that his soldiers never die in Iraq in vain but his government kills them in vain. I don’t know what sort of fathers these soldiers have. Our daughter’s boyfriend has an absent father and his mother is a very submissive sort of woman and he wants to go into the Air Force and the recruiter told him that lots of the Air Force are going to Iraq now. I really honestly don’t know what he is thinking or what feeds his goals and desires. I spoke to him about PTSD, he has a friend who recently joined the Air Force headed to Iraq right now. He told me that his friend is a pretty crazy dude so he’ll handle it okay and I told him that I didn’t think either of them had the foggiest notion of what crazy really is but his friend may really be crazy if he comes home from Iraq. As is nobody wants to listen to me and Bush has provided some of the youth in this country a new way to really try the patience of the adults around them and I fear they believe an opportunity to prove their manhood. The fact that we adults are a bunch of naysayers only seems to fuel it. As I shared with you before, our problem boyfriend Phillip went into the Army. He went AWOL twice before even being deployed and he is doing time now in a military facility. My husband attempted to speak to his parents about the need for maturity in order to avoid bigger problems in the military, he even did this when at the same time we didn’t have much love for Phillip, but his parents thought the Army would grow Phillip up and refused to accept that much of that job is theirs. He was spoiled and saved a lot by them and now nobody can save him and instead of gaining maturity he might end up gaining a criminal mindset for the rest of his life.
Hi Oui, so very good to see you out and about once again. I want to take this time to say “thanks” for all that you post.
As far as the 3K boys and girls that are now gone forever….it is such a shame that they are gone for a lie…like the others that have died for a lie. Many lives that could have been important to others and our country if it weren’t for they gave the ultimate.
I made a statement a very long time ago over on the orange that our men and women are not fighting for our freedom, for if they were they would be fighting here in our country to save our freedoms. They were sent to give of their lives for someone who did not want us there in the the first place. Oh they say they came to help get rid of the tyrant that was doing bad things to the ppl of that land…but we have our very own tyrant doing bad things to our ppl here in the US of A. Yet they lost their lives needlessly for what ppl say is one mans ego and arrogance. I feel so grave towards that man. He has done what others have in their lifetime and that is to make themselves even more hated by themselves and others. This they/he will not shed for the rest of their natural lives. I pity bush and others like him. They really have not one clue as to what is lost in treasure and lives. Frankly they do not care. It is all about them/him. and that is the sad part of it. I lost a neighbor this past year, a young life that went away in a flick of a time by the taliban that could have given one iota about this boy. My heart broke not for the act but for the loss. This boy could have made a difference in others lives…well, he is still today doing this…it is just that loosing him is doing this act. Anyhow,,,,,,,, the extension of the family and friends that each life lost is creating is just that….hate and sadness and hard feelings towards others and religions and sects and well, just hatred towards others…this is not a good thing to have happen in our world of today or for that matter ever.
Thanks again Oui for all that you do for us here at the pond.
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This diary is not just about the beautiful lives lost for a cause of empire building, but also meant as a tribute to all the girls, boys, men and women in the medical profession. The staffers, doctors, nurses and psychologists who are doing their best to save what they can of shattered bodies, dreams and relationships. Each and every living soul is dear to a loved one. Also in respect to your professional work as a nurse.
May the leaders who have build this campagne on lies and ruined so many lives get what they deserve, preferably here in this world. They won’t escape the torch of wrath of the the Eternal Father.
((((Brenda)))) forever!
PEACE in 2007
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Oui, I thank you for this. hugs….and happy new year, dear friend.
A very somber and unjoyful way to start our New Year.