A neighbor of mine just lost their son in Iraq.

[Midlodemocrat]

Below is the obituary.

God, how I hate this war....

Sean H. Miles
Sgt. Sean H. Miles, USMC, killed in action in the line of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on January 24, 2006. Cherished husband of Genevieve; devoted father of Tyler Regi; beloved son of Michael and Deborah; loyal brother of Christopher M. Miles and Erin M. Wennberg; dear grandson of Sonny and Lois Miles, and Marie Bulovas, and the late Vito Bulovas; proud brother-in-law of Roman Valadez and Sgt. Nicholas M. Wennberg, USMC; caring son-in-law of D.D. and Corina Valadez. Also survived by a host of military and civilian friends and families, who will keep his spirit alive in their hearts. The family will receive friends from 2:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 at the Chesterfield Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 14301 Ashbrook Parkway, Chesterfield, Va. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 2, at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, 8901 Winterpock Road, Chesterfield, Va. Interment will be in San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Operation Family Fund, U.S. P.O. Box 837, Ridgecrest, California 93556 or at ([e-mail]) "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." St. John 15:13. Semper Fidelis.
Published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch from 1/29/2006 - 1/31/2006.

[tatertop]

1. such a horrible waste

[Auntie Bush]

10. It wasn't a waste...the Iraqi's now have freedom to become theists.

:sarcasm: May he Rest in Peace and may God give his loved ones the strength to endure this horrible tradegy and loss of their loved one.

[tatertop]

18. senseless death in a horrible place

it almost seems like science fiction

[fooj]

2. I hate it, too. I'm sooo sorry.

:cry:

[Just Me]

3. Sad.

My brother's over there. Every death reminds me of the danger he is in.

I hate this war, too. Just,...hate it. ;(

[Horse with no Name]

4. How terrible

I'm sorry for your neighbors loss.

"The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run."
Henry David Thoreau

The cost of this war is too much.:cry:

[hopeisaplace]

5. my heart breaks for the suffering it really breaks, I'm so sad for them

and I'm so sorry this has to happen to families, it's beyond words.

I wrote this last night, and posted it...hope it's ok
to repost as a sentiment in this thread.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE LEADERS GONE? (SONG LYRICS)

(VERSE 1)
Beyond the sunset another child smiles
Held in her mother’s arms for a while
Cuddled up with faith her guiding force
She prays to her God for the same things of course;
For leaders to lead us down a path of peace
That her baby will always have enough to eat
That her neighbors get all the help they need
And imprisoned minds will someday be freed

(CHORUS)
We sing for justice in a song
The world in disarray for so long
If right is someone else’s wrong
then who’ll teach us how to get along
With divide and conquer going strong
Where have all the leaders gone?

(VERSE 2)
How many questions did you ask today?
Do you believe what the media has to say?
Did your neighbor lose his job or home?
If the leaders tell him to do it alone…
do you believe he should rebuild on his own?
There’s no money left, sorry it’s gone
Where have all the leaders flown?

(CHORUS)
We sing for justice in a song
The world in disarray for so long
If right is someone else’s wrong
then who’ll teach us how to get along
With divide and conquer going strong
Where have all the leaders gone?

(VERSE 3)
Does money define the entire earth?
How do we determine what a life is worth
Who makes the call that some live and some die?
A mother asks while she’s doubled over to cry
“Why me, why us, why tell me why! did my child have to die!”
This pain is her prison and they still deny
that wars are built on sandstone lies

(BRIDGE TO CHORUS)
Leaders who lead us to live in peace
Who build bridges to hope without shaking their fist
Who understand that we all must co-exist
and share the resources of this earth
‘Cause no one owned it at its birth
who owns the moon?
who owns the stars?
is that where all the leaders are?
We sing for justice in a song
With the world in disarray this long
and right is always someone’s wrong
who’ll teach us how to get along
with divide and conquer going strong
Where have all the Leaders Gone?

[gratuitous]

6. While I don't want to add to this family's grief

The citation to the John passage is grotesquely inapposite. Mr. Miles, may he rest in peace, didn't lay down his life for his friends -- his life was wasted by a corrupt, outlaw regime.

[Midlodemocrat]

8. I know. I thought the same thing when I saw it.

But, had it been my son, I would be grasping at anything to make some sense out of my loss.

[pocket]

9. he probably also laid down

a lot of Iraqi's lives as well

[WilliamPitt]

13. Yes, he did

Talk to most any soldier and they will tell you they want to defend their friends around them in the unit. God, country and president come after making sure their friends in the unit are safe.

[Wilms]

19. Excellent point. Thanks for mentioning. n/t

[AirmensMom]

7. I'm so sorry.

:cry:

[FreedomAngel82]

11. How sad

:cry: RIP. :(

[soup]

12. Cherished husband

devoted father, beloved son, loyal brother, dear grandson - So much pain.

I'm so sorry.

[stop the bleeding]

14. All for lies and money - Midlodemocrat - I use to live in Richmond

is your name for Midlothian turnpike not to get off the subject.O8)

[Midlodemocrat]

15. I live in Midlothian.

[Tsiyu]

16. Last night they showed a local soldier who'd been killed

when his convoy was bombed. (We have TV at work)

The lone Repuke at work came up to me right at that moment and - not seeing what I was watching ( there are six TVs going at all times) he said, "Why is your hair and mine turning so gray lately ?" He was teasing me since we've had some harried workdays lately.

I pointed to the TV and said, "That right there. Our best and brightest are being killed for money. That's what's turning MY hair gray." I continued on my rant.

He shut up.

[Flying Dream Blues]

22. What a poignant way to make a good point. I hope it made him think, bhg.

[Contrary1]

17. A question...

Do you know how long it took the family to be notified? I'm curious.
When the local news announces another victim of Shrub's war, it
seems that it is always 5 to 7 days after the fact.

When we can get an up to the minute report on the condition of a
news anchor and his cameraman, I just have to wonder.

Godspeed Sgt. Miles

[applegrove]

20. I'm sorry. I'm hope this war is over sooner rather than later. Too

late for your neighbours. Some day this war will end for most americans. But never for them.

[GreenPartyVoter]

21. I am so sorry :^( *hugs*

[Flying Dream Blues]

23. The tragedy of this makes me sick. Love and peace to your friends as

they cope with the loss of this special young man.

[Midlodemocrat]

24. If I may, for a minute.

Another neighbor passed yesterday. She had been suffering from breast cancer, and she went pretty quickly. She had two children, a five year old and an 11 year old.

These are things that can't be prevented. These types of senseless deaths are the times that try men's souls, but can't be prevented. Hell, my SIL died 16 months after giving birth to my very, very beautiful niece. She fought hard. Cancer won.

The thing is. War is a man made problem. War is preventable, especially in circumstances like the one where Sean died. Man made trouble. My mom, God rest her soul, always said. "There is enough trouble in the world without man made trouble".

Thanks. everyone. Just needed to vent a bit.

[babylonsister]

25. Most of us hate the problems men create; my condolences

are added, MD. :hug:

[Kurovski]

26. In memory of Sean H. Miles ,

K&R.