Dead Soldiers, Dead Civilians

So we've passed the 4,000 casualty mark. I just called it a "mark". How about, "We've just lost 4,000 brothers, fathers, sisters, mothers, cousins, and friends? 4000 people that like to go to the movies with their friends, or give their spouses foot rubs. It's not a mark. It's sad.

It's sad that the media is so concerned about the number 4,000. Was his life any more important or valuable then 3,999? It depends on who you're talking to.

To the general public, they have no feeling of sadness or loss. Just frustration with the military for being so careless in their endeavors.

"Bring them all home"

"Pull out now"

To do that makes those 4,000 deaths meaningless and for nothing. If we were truly concerned with resolving this matter we'd put more thought into it then, "Cut ties and run".

To soldiers, no, 4,000 is no more important than number 3,999 or number 7. Because to soldiers, it's not a number. It's a name, a face, a brother. A friend with a bond that civilians have no hope in understanding or ever gaining. When you're clearing a house with your team, you absolutely put your life into the hands of the men at your back and to your front. You absolutely rely on the outer cordon to provide addequate security so a psycho doesn't have the opportunity to sneak in the back and blow you away, turning you into another "number". You absolutely rely on your leadership to give you the heads up about the informant in the house before you enter. And when you come home, you continue to rely on them. You stick together, and you know what it's like to come within inches of your death only to be pulled back because your buddy was at your side and never faltered.

This is what I think: 4,000 means nothing other than the media being on the terrorists payroll. Civilians are entitled to know what progress is being made, but to an extent. We have to take into context what roll the "on-demand" television plays, or the internet, or cell phones and newspapers. The collective impact of all these forces is unlike any before. Take a second and think about this: We have no idea how many enemy casualties there are, leaving us with our pants down when it comes to reporting progress based on body counts. Yet we claim so much progress. We have a deadly accurate (no pun intended, seriously) body count for our side. If we rely so heavily on body counts to mark progress, we are only aiding the enemy. They know their progress. They don't have to count the bodies. We do it for them, and then pay to have it broadcast to them.


It is time that America woke up and started realizing that regardless of why we went, we're there...now we have a commitment whether we like it or not. We need to think of what is best for all involved, and stop being selfish and wanting to just pull out and come home. It doesn't work like that. If someone were to run a red light, smash into your car, and theirs started on fire with them trapped inside (but yours was just banged up), would you walk away and pretend someone wasn't in the burning car? It's not your fault. They created the situation by being careless. Go ahead, walk away as they scream, crying for someone to just reach in and pull them out. Go ahead, walk away as you smell the burning hair. Go ahead, walk away as they ask for someone to tell their wife they love them. Go ahead, walk away.

As humans, it's our duty and responsibility to take care of one another. 4000 American soldiers are dead. Do you have ANY idea how many innocent Iraqi civilians are dead? We cannot continue to only think of ourselves. Can people not see where that is getting us? It's creating enemies and adversaries. Countries that despise us. We no longer hold our place in the world.

And I dare say I'm not proud to be an American.