Sunday, June 03, 2007

May Casualty Statistics


2007.05BARGRAPH
Originally uploaded by Randuwa
They say in the news that May has been the 3rd deadliest month in the War on Terrorism in Iraq. I've seen a total number of casualties given as 122 soldiers killed. However, the War on Terrorism is not confined to Iraq. My count of 140 includes troops killed Afghanistan, and in this month, Kuwait. Since the beginning of the year, we've also lost troops working in Bahrain, the Philippines, and in the south Indian Ocean on the USS Batanga. A ship used to render and interrogate detainees that has been deployed in international waters off the southern coast of Africa.

I find these numbers unacceptable. They are deaths without purpose. I continue to find our tactics in this never-declared-war abhorrant and the antithesis of what we as a nation ought to be doing.

A darkness was visited upon us, and we have met that darkness with darkness. But the dark is only defeated with light. Our efforts thus far have not been driven by this understanding. It's as if we are all held in the grasp of a bunch of syncophantic frat boys playing "risk" and guzzling beers in their exclusive little frat house. It's nearly enough to make one feel paranoid....

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