Disclaimer - Killed in Iraq
Ch3ll3 over at Fickle and Whim got me to thinking about something a few weeks back, and it has stayed with me. She disappeared from blogdom for awhile, but she's back now! She caught my attention right off the bat with one very short and simple sentence: "I used to write for me."
Every once in awhile I catch myself nixing a new post because in my mind it probably wouldn't be of interest to anyone but me. Or maybe it might tick somebody off. That might not be a bad thing, at least some of the time anyway. But, I'm tired of skipping over those kinds of things. So, I'm going back to the same reckless abandon I had when I very first started this adventure. You may not even notice a difference, but I will. And that would be a good thing.
Four were teenagers.
Thirty were 21 or younger.
The oldest was 53.
It was the fourth deadliest month and the worst since January 2005.
Kraig Foyteck was killed in Iraq Monday. He should have been finished up in August, but the day he was supposed to leave he was told he would be staying for a few more months. One-third of the American casualties in October were already scheduled to be home. About 30 percent were on their second or third tours, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Kraig was 26. He graduated from high school in Skokie, Illinois. He was awarded a Purple Heart in December.
This is him mom, Connie. She lives in LaPorte, Indiana. This is the picture I cannot shake.
This needs to stop.
If you would like to learn more about Kraig Foytek, follow this link to a CBS2 Chicago Video Report.
Every once in awhile I catch myself nixing a new post because in my mind it probably wouldn't be of interest to anyone but me. Or maybe it might tick somebody off. That might not be a bad thing, at least some of the time anyway. But, I'm tired of skipping over those kinds of things. So, I'm going back to the same reckless abandon I had when I very first started this adventure. You may not even notice a difference, but I will. And that would be a good thing.
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U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq at 2,820
02 November, 2006
Headlines by the Associated Press
Dead Since March 2003:
U. S. Military, 2820
British Military, 120
Italy, 33
Ukraine, 18
Poland, 17
Bulgaria, 13
Spain, 11
Denmark, 6
El Salvador, 5
Slovakia, 3
Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand, 2 each
Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Romania, 1 each
U.S. Military Deaths in October: 105U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq at 2,820
02 November, 2006
Headlines by the Associated Press
Dead Since March 2003:
U. S. Military, 2820
British Military, 120
Italy, 33
Ukraine, 18
Poland, 17
Bulgaria, 13
Spain, 11
Denmark, 6
El Salvador, 5
Slovakia, 3
Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand, 2 each
Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Romania, 1 each
Four were teenagers.
Thirty were 21 or younger.
The oldest was 53.
It was the fourth deadliest month and the worst since January 2005.
Kraig Foyteck was killed in Iraq Monday. He should have been finished up in August, but the day he was supposed to leave he was told he would be staying for a few more months. One-third of the American casualties in October were already scheduled to be home. About 30 percent were on their second or third tours, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Kraig was 26. He graduated from high school in Skokie, Illinois. He was awarded a Purple Heart in December.
This is him mom, Connie. She lives in LaPorte, Indiana. This is the picture I cannot shake.
This needs to stop.If you would like to learn more about Kraig Foytek, follow this link to a CBS2 Chicago Video Report.
posted by gawilli at 9:45 PM
10 Comments:
Well, the only way for it to stop is for people to vote Democratic. I know Bush loves to stand there and say "A vote for Democrats is a vote for Terrorists".
Well, a vote for Republicans is a vote to keep everything exaclty like it is in Iraq. If the Republicans keep control of Congress then there will be no changes in policy in terms of Iraq. Everything will continue exaclty as it is now.
Since I have enjoyed each and every post that you have written, I will continue to have interest in your way of looking at and writing about the world both near and far and now and then.
The picture does make the numbers in black and white more real. Each of those soldiers that have died and those that have been wounded is somebody's son or daughter. The first time that I viewed a tribute to Viet Nam soldiers at a local park made quite an impression on me. Looking at their birth dates, I realized these lost soldiers were my contemporaries, my brothers and sisters. People from another time that died in another senseless war.
Every week when George Stephanopolus shows the names of the dead in Iraq for the week, I notice the ages. From my perspective, they are all so very young. Such promise cut short. Such pain and grief for their families and friends back home. Such horror for their platoon mates.
It is obscene that the young should die in violence and horror so that rich men who have never been on a battleground can grow richer.
Last spring I went with my girls to WA DC on a class trip. We saw a lot of war memorials...the black wall with all those names was particularly horrifying. That picture of Kraig's mother...it just breaks my heart and makes it all so real. Nobody ever wins in war. Especially not a senseless one such as this.
So much to say, but I must take Buddy to gymnastics. Maybe I will write a post about this later.
It's your Blog...write whatever is interesting and important to you. I liked the quote, "I used to write for me."
My posts that I think will probably have the least amount of comments are the ones that surprise me the most.
Our son-in-law will be in Iraq until at least February. He is constantly on my mind.
Hey there! Sorry I haven't been arnoud much. I've been lurking/reading when I can. Life is still nuts but I am sort of back on track in blogland. :)
Anyhow, I just wanted to say "Hi!" and let you ow that the weekend words are up.
Hey, you have to write what you feel like writing. A blog is personal that way. Sure it will cause a reaction but, everything does.
The war presented by the numbers is making a huge impression on many. The singer songwriters are kicking into flashback mode. Consider this:
"Desert shields and dirty deals and dim lines drawn in dust.
Send a half a million men to save some oil in the sand...my gawd in cars we trust.
But the worst is not the body count nor battles lost and won.
It's in the hearts of those who fail to feel the real DAMAGE DONE."
-Butch Hancock 2004 from his new CD War and Peace
Jay: I agree. I also observe that many people are suspect of voting machines. I consider this a direct result of the "hanging chad". Consider Butch Hancock's line.
"Mark your ballots in the light ..be sure they count'em right."
I read somewhere that only two members of congress have children in Iraq. I don't know if this is true, but if so, it explains why people in Washington D.C. seem to have no compassion. It just isn't real to them.
That photo breaks my heart.
Marnie
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