Nine US Servicepeople killed yesterday, two so far today

[frogcycle]

28 month-to-date

[bigwillq]

1. I saw on the local news

that a Navy Seal killed was from CT. How sad. :cry:

How sad for all of our young men and women. End this fucking war now.

[koopie57]

2. Katie is leaving tomorrow for boot camp

She has been my son's girlfriend since their sophomore year and I have grown very close to her. She often would ask when she could come over and talk.

She just called to say she was leaving tomorrow. She always dreamed about being a Marine and is planning on coming back after boot camp and going to school.

I asked my son if they understand she might be going to Iraq and he said yes, but neither of them seem to understand how much of a possibility it is.

She went to a weekend boot camp and really enjoyed the structure and the physical challenges. Everyone who knew her commented that Katie is ready for the Marines but are the Marines ready for Katie and there is some validity to that statement. She took over at boot camp, united the girls and they kicked the guys butts.

She has many emotional issues and if they show up during this time, is there a chance she can get out? I don't know how people live when their loved ones are over there. I hope those responsible for this war rot in hell.

[SeattleGirl]

4. If she has to go to Iraq (or Afghanistan), may she be safe, and return

home the same way. :hug:

[koopie57]

5. thank you. n/t

[frogcycle]

6. one of the travesties of this war

as with VN, is that the military, even including the risks of combat, is a good choice for many that was then and is now clouded by misuse of the military*. The training, leadership skills, organizational skills, comaraderie, etc. can be wonderful life experiences, whether for a career in the military, or as a precursor to a civilian career. I hope she gains from the marines as much as she gives. Despite the current debacle, this country desperately needs to rebuild the military as we (we all fervently hope) finally put this relentless grind behind us, and we as a nation need people like Katie.

She is going to a fundamentally good organization, with a proud tradition.

Semper Fi!

My thanks to her for her willingness to serve.

And remember, despite the daily horror stories of casualties, as well as stories of atrocities, there are 160,000 people in uniform in Iraq, and the "incidents" as the DoD euphemistically calls them, while awful, are much, much smaller numbers.

*The military command and control structure is certainly at fault in both instances. They build an organization with a purpose, hone it (generally) to fulfill that purpose, but then, given an ill-fated mission that they know is doomed to failure, they "soldier on," with noted exceptions putting career ahead of principle - and thus ahead of the well-being of the troops.

[Solly Mack]

7. I wish her the best.

[SeattleGirl]

3. How. Many. More?

Good God, how many more? :cry: