Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Casualties of War and Champions of War
Mourn for the dead and ask yourself what did they die for
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On October 25th the AFP reported that according to a WSJ poll, "For the first time, a majority of Americans believe the war was "the wrong thing to do".
The president, of course, is still a champion of the war. The costs have been too high for him to survive the firestorm that will erupt following an admission of a wrong decision.
Total injured: 15,220.
The total has crossed the 2,000 mark. See list (names and dates). "War hath no fury like a non-combatant" , wrote C.E. Montague (1867-1928), British soldier, author, journalist. A sad reminder of the tremendous waste of lives in the war that we got into because of lies, deception and the obsession of a few. Known non-combatants: President G.W. Bush, VP Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Where they lived, where they died. Today's Washington Post contains detailed map and charts. Also see Josh White and Ann Tyson's report "Military has lost 2,000 in Iraq".
Where they lived, where they died. Today's Washington Post contains detailed map and charts. Also see Josh White and Ann Tyson's report "Military has lost 2,000 in Iraq".
The president, of course, is still a champion of the war. The costs have been too high for him to survive the firestorm that will erupt following an admission of a wrong decision.
Total injured: 15,220.
And the forgotten ones--Iraqi civilians. Minimum 26,690 Maximum 30,051. These figures are from Anti-war.com, much lower than the Britsh medical journal Lancet's report which mentioned more than 100,000 dead. In recent months more civilians have been killed by insurgents than by military actions. Still, the majority of civilian deaths is attributable to military actions. That could change if the insurgents continue their random atrocities.
".....any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John Donne ( 1572-1631) Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions ,1623
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".....any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John Donne ( 1572-1631) Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions ,1623
