War On Terrorism June Up-Date

wargraphic, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

After an autumn lull -- that was really no lull at all if you want to ask the families of the 113 soldiers who died in the field between September 1st and December 31st -- casualties have once again returned to a predictable, lullable, unexceptable average of 30 per month or one a day. And now in the first 5 days of June 13 have died. It's a rate that would lead to a month with 78 casualties if it were to continue. Isn't even one too many? Haven't we established that our aggressions in at least Iraq were unnecessary to our national security? I long for the day when we are no longer mired in that desolate land of age old conflict and allow them to either devour themselves or stand up and re-establish the heritage of art, literature, learning and prosperity as a self-determined people. We will never rid them of terrorists. Only they can do that for themselves. Our resources must be directed to our own shores and the things that need fixed here, and our courageous, obedient military needs to be reserved for the threats that are real.