Never Forget

I am puzzled by the fuss that has been raised over the Obama administration's decision to allow, after 18 years, the return of fallen soldiers at Dover to be seen by the public at large.

First of all, the decision has been left up to the families, they can choose to let the public be a part of honoring their loved one or not. It isn't mandatory and I highly doubt that anyone is going to strong arm a family into letting the media into their private moment if they don't want them there.

Second, with so little being mentioned now about the casualties of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (or ever during the eight years we have been at war unless the numbers were massive) anything that can be done to remind the American people of the sacrificing still being made is a good thing in my mind. No matter how you feel about the wars, or the military (and I will be the first to stand up and say I am not a fan of either), these men and women are doing their jobs and have died as a result. They deserve our honor, our respect and most of all our attention.

Finally, as war becomes more and more technical like a surreal video game and less the hand-to-hand combat that was common just 100 years ago, I don't think we can ever go wrong in emphasizing the high human costs associated with any armed conflict. War is NOT a game, no matter how much we try to turn it into one. People die. They are horribly and permanently maimed in body, mind and spirit. We all need to be reminded of what we ask when we send young men and women, barely adults, out in uniform. Is what we are asking them to do worth their lives? Would you give you life for it, or you child's?

If seeing a flag draped coffin come home, makes the realities of war to "real" for some, then I guess they need to start asking themselves questions like those above. Perhaps your answers will surprise you.

52

That is the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq from April 1, 2008 to April 30, 2008. The war doesn't seem to be getting much "play" these days so I think it is important to continue to highlight these things. April 2008 was the deadliest month in the war since last September.

Yesterday also marked the fifth anniversary of Dubya's ridiculous Mission Accomplished speech. Yes, if the mission was to have thousands of Americans die, oil prices to skyrocket, the US to loss its shirt economically-speaking in Iraq and the country to be so tired of this unnecessary war that they now mostly try to forget it is happening, then yes, the mission has been accomplished.

Speaking of the money we are pouring into Iraq, CNN reports that the US has spent more than $47 billion on reconstruction in Iraq since 2003 (when Bush played dress up in the flight suit). Senators Levin and Warner are questioning when Iraq is going to start paying for some of the reconstruction themselves, considering that by estimates from the US State Dept and the Iraqi Oil Ministry, the country is expected to bring in AT LEAST $100 billion in oil revenues from 2007 through the end of 2008.

Finally, in case you missed this, a 30-year old soldier, husband and father of two died in Afghanistan Tuesday. Sgt. 1st Class David L. McDowell was on his SEVENTH tour of duty. This is wrong on so many levels. First, while I know that the guy signed up for this, does anyone really sign up for that? And even if he had made it home alive and healthy, would he have ever been the same person again? 

Maybe I am just in a bad mood today, but this war and the current administration make me sick (and that is me saying that after my cup of starbucks to cheer me up). Now everybody join me in a rousing chorus of Lee Greenwoods seminal hit "Proud to be an American."

No Foolin'

Oh how I wish I were clever enough to try and pull off some practical joke for April Fool's Day. But alas, while it did occur to me to try and write a post that was nice about the Republicans as a joke ("I've seen the light and the GOP are right!"). I a) couldn't do it and b) knew no one would buy it.

I saw Stop Loss last night at the movies. It is probably the first war movie that I have seen and it stars Ryan Phillipe and the person of the opposite sex he supposedly torpedoed his union with Reese Witherspoon for. Reese may have moved on, but I am not so sure I am ready to forgive and forget. Us Southern girls have to stick together.

Anyway, it honestly wasn't a movie I was that into seeing and of the Iraq War-based movies that have been out there, it wouldn't have been my first pick. I probably would have gone with Rendition or Grace is Gone. That being said, it was a chance to hang with some friends, so I went.

The basic premise is a guy is set to get out of the army and he gets stop lossed and told he has to do a third tour in Iraq. He says no and splits. The movie then details him trying to find a way out of the situation, first legally and then not. In the end he caves and decides he can't run away and goes back to do his tour.

My feelings about the military are extremely mixed. While on one hand I am not super supportive (ever) of the idea of war, I recognize that sometimes countries aren't left with much choice and you need to defend or protect yourself. (The Iraq War is so not an example of this btw, in case you were wondering.) Plus military guys can be hot. There I said it. So sue me.

The thing I don't get though is the mentality that many (maybe not all) military personnel have—that very macho, gung-ho, I-don't-have-to-follow-your-rules-because-I-am-a-big-manly-man thing. It came up in this movie, one guy after being out for a couple of weeks literally can't separate himself from the military and another isn't even interested in a normal, non-military life. One ends up re-enlisting and the other commits suicide (sorry if I am ruining it for you). Is that military mindset equivalent to the conceited posturings that many uber-business types, Wall Streeters and the like have? I know that women are just as capable of that as men, but it does seem more prevalent in men than women. I just don't get it.

I really don't know what I am trying to say here. Overall I felt like the movie wanted to be deeper than it was. Its goal, to raise a discussion about the dishonesty and unfairness of our government's treatment of our soldiers and reservists during this war is a good idea. These people have been treated abysmally. But it missed the mark. At least for me.

On a bright note, I can tell you that Nicholas Cage's next film is going to be a suck-fest of immense proportions. It is called Bangkok Dangerous and if the title doesn't clue you in, the trailer will. My friends and I were on the floor laughing. And it isn't a comedy.

Three Strikes

Yesterday the news broke that Obama's passport file was breached three times by the State Department since the first of the year. Of course this is all due to the lack of oversight and no-warrants-required system that our government has created in recent years.

Maybe some of you think it is no big deal, but when the Department of Justice acknowledges (as it did two weeks ago) that the FBI has for years been abusing the national security letters part of the Patriot Act that is bad. The national security letters allows the FBI to look at whatever personal info they want about Americans without a warrant or any oversight. This means that without being accused of anything, Americans have been having their personal information riffled through. Nice. The Washington Post has more details here.

Then, of course, there is the recent interview that Dick Cheney gave to ABC's Martha Raddatz. Cheney made a statement that the surge has been a success (duh, of course he WOULD say that) and then Raddatz asked him how that squared with a recent poll that showed two-thirds of Americans think the fight in Iraq isn't worth it. As you probably all know by now 'ole Dickie-boy's response was "So." Nice. You can read or view the interview for yourself here. 

Finally, there is McCain's recent gaffe in a press conference in the Middle East where he stated that Iran was training and harboring Al Qaeda terrorists. His sidekick Joe Lieberman quickly stepped forward to correct him, and McCain restated his remark, but I am not sure I am buying that he didn't mean what he first said. This hasn't gotten much coverage because many of the media just seems to trust the idea that McCain knows what he is talking about when it comes to foreign policy. (For more on that, visit Glenn Greenwald's blog on Salon.com.) This is the man after all who sang, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran."  Then Thursday, McCain's national security spokesman said this:

"There is ample documentation that Iran has provided many different forms of support to Sunni extremists, including Al Qaeda as well as Shi'ia extremists in Iraq. It would require a willing suspension of disbelief to deny Iran supports Al Qaeda in Iraq."

There is a lot we don't know about Iran. But one thing seems clear, that if the Bush administration doesn't get its chance to go after Iran, something it has seemingly hungered after for years, then McCain (if elected president) may just carry on that dream.

Just something to think about if you are on the fence about who to vote for—the Democrats or the Republicans. Frankly to me, it looks like three strikes against the current and incumbent Republicans in just this last week. Imagine what they could do with four more years . . .

In Remembrance

Today, in 2003, the United States began the war in Iraq. Since that date, almost 4,000 American men and women have been killed, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens.

No matter what your feelings are about the war, take a moment today to honor these men and women and their families who have to carry on without them.

For a list of the names of the dead, visit the Military Times.