The number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq has reached 2,500, the Pentagon said Thursday, more than three years into a conflict that finds U.S.-led forces locked in a struggle with a resilient insurgency.
In addition, the Pentagon said 18,490 U.S. troops have been wounded in the war, which began in March 2003 with a U.S.-led invasion to topple President Saddam Hussein. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed.
Now, back to talking about social security, health care, education and the other “safe” issues. Right?
When I saw the news, I knew you’d be “celebrating” the anniversary in your own inimitable OW fashion.
You are wrong about one thing, though.
There is a 10 hour debate scheduled in the House today, on Iraq.
I wonder how many Democrats will mention the fact that there are now 2,500 dead?
Maybe all of them?
I sure hope so. Lord knows we need to hear it.
To quote President Bush, “… you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”
Interesting about this war is the number of wounded. Up until Vietnam, the the standard was, “X” killed, times 2 wounded. That that has been improved to “X” killed, times 8 wounded is due to advancements made by our medics in the field who are saving lives on the battlefield at an unprecedented rate; otherwise, our soldiers would be dying in Iraq at the same rate as in Vietnam.
Dems can’t afford to engage on the issue. Cause that would mean acknowledging the new Zarqawi memos.
The question is how many Republicans will acknowledge it. According to them, everything has gone according to plan.
Farris - I know about the memos, and they will certainly help in dismantling the separate franchise that Zarqawi was the leader of, but the question to be addressed is: was the 20,000 American dead and wounded and countless Iraqi dead and wounded a fair price paid to obtain them?
Or a fair price to get justice for 9/11? Which Iraq had nothing to do with?
What have these sacrifices been made for?
Yes, Save and no doubt when we got to war with Iran you’ll be the first to admit that we’re doing Zarqawi’s bidding:
“BAGHDAD (AP) A blueprint for trying to start a war between the United States and Iran was among a “huge treasure” of documents found in the hideout of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi officials said Thursday.”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-15-raid-blueprint_x.htm
2,500 Americans died for a piece of paper! Rejoice, America! Right?
No. Not at all.
We lost Iraq when we reached the point where our military presence no longer made things better. The best thing for both our countries is for us to go home immediately. Unfortunately, the rightwingers can’t see it; they only pay attention to rhetoric that flatters themselves. Time to put country before your own masturbatory self image, GOP.
Any chance for a resolution declaring victory over the Interior Ministry’s death squads?
I just love how the House is having a resolution that simply states we are winning the War on Terror. And somehow, this resolution is NOT allowed to have amendments. Does this Republican majority DO ANYTHING? Why not a resolution about your undying love for Pres. Bush. Cons only care about rhetoric and “symbolism”. Like Gay Marriage, the Republicans have lost this debate and support of the public, yet Farris, thinks its a non-win for Democrats. Newsflash: 33% support the War! And why should Democrats be afraid to take this issue on? I know conservatives actually hate governing but I think Republicans should be fighting tooth and nail on this issue and actually have a plan on Iraq. Even the Democrats have a plan! This issue smacks of how unserious and insulting Republicans are to our fighting men and women. If you MUST take part in symbolic gestures WHY NOT GET OSAMA BIN LADEN! You may actually give credence to the idea of symbolism by getting the bastard.
Will do. Just as soon as you admit that by hyping the negatives during the insurgency, you, likewise, have been doing the bidding of Z.
I won’t hold my breath…
>>Just as soon as you admit that by hyping the negatives during the insurgency, you, likewise, have been doing the bidding of Z.
Farris. Interesting. Could you explain to me, in practical terms, how popping off on a blog translates to doing the bidding of Z?
I mean…1.) Define the bidding of Z. Please 2.) Once defined, explain how statements within the confines of this blog carry out the bidding of Z.
Finally, please provide evidence, and current references to support that theory that political expression on this particular blog carries out the bidding of Z, as defined by yourself, in #1.
I won’t hold my breath.
JK
Scratches head…
“Bidding of Z.”
Definition of bidding:
command: an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
a request to be present; “they came at his bidding”
Did Z post here instructing us to do something? I don’t remember that. And I certainly don’t remember anyone making Z the boss around here.
Is Farris talking about Ebay? Ebay has a feature called “proxy bidding” that allows a bidder to bid automatically. So Z could have bid, without ever having to ask anyone in here to bid for him. So, that doesn’t make sense.
Running out of definitions.
Hmmm…I guess I’ll just wait for Farris to explain the bidding thing.
JK
Maybe the West’s evolution of God is catching up to him and he’s talking about Zeus.
Everyone knows this war is all the Democrats’ fault.
Obviously only Republicans know when it’s time to leave. Maybe it’ll be when they’re throwing flowers as our troops parade in front of a cheering throng, or when the mission is accomplished, or when we’ve found all those WMD, or when there is democaracy, or when there is a government in place.
But nobody by Republicans can possibly be right about anything and we should rely on the GOP to tell us what’s what and when it’s time to send our troops home.
“Hmmm& I guess I ll just wait for Farris to explain the bidding thing.”
Uh, JK, Farris seems to think that Zarqawi’s “latest” memo is some bombshell about the true intentions and state of the insurgency. I found it interesting that one of the things he failed to mention is that Zarqawi was trying to spark a war between the US and Iran which, interestingly enough, is the same thing the right wing has been trying to do for the the last three months.
BD and OW: Are you saying that 295,000 Americans died in World War II for a piece of paper signed on the U.S.S. Missouri?
Could we please put a stop to the false comparisons between WW II and Iraq. They have NOTHING substantial in common. Japan and Germany attacked us and our allies and we responded. In WW II we knew what needed to be done. The enemy was bold and powerful, but they waged war, real war, with a readily identifiable armed force that could be met on the battlefield and definitively defeated. Not so much with terrorism, which wears no uniform and serves no flag and whose goals are ideological and not simply a question of real estate. And who ultimately thrive on a U.S. foreign policy fashioned after a hammer where every problem looks like a nail.
Iraq attacked…eh…er…Kuwait…more than a decade ago…but Saddam would have attacked us if he could have…which he couldn’t…at all…eh…next question.
Well, at least they are both wars, except, of course, that we started the Iraq war…eh…oops. I mean the war on terror! Which, besides being a bullsh*t propaganda term for GOPers and the Preznit to leverage their agenda and unconstitutional power grabs, means “fighting them there so we don’t have to fight them here.” Of course, they weren’t there (Iraq) until we invaded and “Z” wouldn’t have had any memos to “discover” had we respected international law…but we’re winning! Well, I mean “winning” in the sense that we say we’re winning.
Just because global terror attacks have tripled in the years since 9/11 doesn’t mean we’re not winning.
Just because Osama bin Laden is still loose doesn’t mean we’re not winning.
Just because the Taliban and al-Qaeda are destabilizing Afghanistan and threaten to destroy whatever tenuous gain we made there doesn’t mean we’re not winning. Look on the bright side, the poppy yields are GREAT!
Just because money for reconstruction has dried up thanks to corruption and increased security costs doesn’t mean we’re not winning. The 15% or so that we did finish looks tremendous and totally offsets any lives lost to the daily violence!
And just because the parents of the 2500th soldier killed have to endure the loss of their child to a GOP fantasy and corporate wet dream doesn’t mean we’re not winning.
Except it does, especially to the parents of #2501. You see, when Japan and Germany formally surrendered, people could look forward to seeing their loved ones again and could stop living in fear that they would be next to receive a knock on the door, a letter, and a folded flag to cradle.
#2500’s family gets to stare at photographs and watch videos. They get to rummage through old Halloween costumes, birthday cards, school ribbons and bottle cap collections. And they get to do it knowing that someday soon, #2501 will be doing the same. And #2502…and #2503…and….
So yeah, 295,000 Americans died in WW II for a “piece of paper.”
Amen.
There was a good letter to the editor a few days ago in the Philly Inquirer, asking why our government displays huge blowup photos of the dead Zarqawi’s face, when publishing photos of flag-draped coffins coming back to the States is verboten.
I’d like to know why the Philadelphia Inquirer would be anxious to publish the picture flag - draped coffins coming home, and somehow hesitant to publish huge blow - up photos of the dead Zarqawi’s face.
As I’ve posted in another thread, a state of war is not a state of mourning our dead.
And, we should be celebrating the death of our enemies.
Oh,and Bill L.: very touching. Perhaps you need to read up on the parents of the “Five Sullivans.” Think about family #2500 during World War II. There were 292,500 to go.