T Nation

US/Coalition Casualties

#1

Many of you may have seen this link on CNN. Its an ongoing list of the US/Coalition casualties in Iraq. I have attached one for Afganhistan as well.

I am not initiating a debate for or against the war.

And I am not being a sentimentalist, nor am I especially fond of discussions of death.

Just curious how you might define what feelings are aroused in you when you see these faces. Numbers and stats are one thing, but putting faces and a story to them are another.

Being a son, brother, and father myself, also a little older, and (arguably) wiser, for me, i am just blown away with the tragic loss of life. Tragic as in just the emptiness that the loss of these men and women have left for their family, friends and even me as I browse these pages.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/oef.casualties/

#2

I look through them and I am in awe of their courage and grateful for their sacrifice.

I also wonder if we would all be Nazi's now if CNN was around during WWII, trying to personalize/sensationalize each and every Allie casualty.

#3

WWII was worth fighting.

#4

So is the war on terror.

#5

Which Iraq was not a part of until we made it a training ground and a rallying point.

#6

Seeing things like this makes me wish humanity would get it's friggin act together.

Debating over whether a war is justified or not is like debating who was right in a car wreck.

War is simply wrong in concept, and is the very anaethma to the joy of the human spirit.

#7

We obviously disagree on this point.

#8

Your very right to the freedom of speech that you are enjoying with the above post was handed to you by men willing to kill for it in violent combat.

Don't ever forget that.

#9

I know that, and I won't (mainly because I have good friends in the service), but it doesn't negate the truth of my previous statement.

ahhh, gotta love irony, eh?

#10

That's because you're wrong.

#11

Yea.........that's it.