Slog - Comments on Too Many Dead

Comment by freakydeaky

freakydeaky — Thu, 31 May 2007 15:38:35 -0800

It's been in all the papers.

Comment by Mr. Poe

Mr. Poe — Thu, 31 May 2007 15:53:56 -0800

This...I can't say anything that nobody isn't already thinking.

This is so fucked.

Comment by and...

and... — Thu, 31 May 2007 15:55:25 -0800

So, does that mean it isn't worth mentioning/discussing here?

Personally, this pisses me off. My job involves attending some of these soldiers' funerals and every one has been a heartbreaking experience. I can only imagine how I'd feel if someone from my family was killed and I had to share the memorial with several (if not many) families of other dead soldiers.

I know that people don't want to think too much about the war and specifically the casualties because we feel helpless and frustrated. It's easier for me to pretend that the KIAs are just numbers. That doesn't mean that the reality should be swept any further under the rug.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Thu, 31 May 2007 16:10:28 -0800

At the beginning of the month I was asking if we were going to hit 3,500 by July 4th. We could possibly hit it by JUNE 4th. 3,474 now, and May was the worst month since November 2004 and the third-worst ever. A surge in death.

Comment by monkey

monkey — Thu, 31 May 2007 16:20:52 -0800

FUCKERS!

Comment by Original Andrew

Original Andrew — Thu, 31 May 2007 16:50:43 -0800

I have to admit that even I'm a bit surprised by the move to 'express memorials.' Will there be a drive-thru option?

I can't imagine having a job where my coworkers are killed on a regular basis. Appalling is all I can say.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Thu, 31 May 2007 16:55:52 -0800

Meanwhile Canada continues to discuss totally leaving Afghanistan if the US doesn't live up to it's NATO committments and put some properly trained and supplied troops on the ground there.

They're tired of fighting the Real War.

And, in unrelated news, yet another person I trained was killed there. Thanks a lot, GW!

Comment by tiptoe tommy

tiptoe tommy — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:08:32 -0800

And now Bush is talking about staying there for 50 years.

http://www.americablog.com/2007/05/bush-says-us-presence-in-iraq-may.html

The disconnect between families of the working poor who are fighting this war and the Republican party regulars who all support war, yet skipped service, is startling. We should all feel a sense of personal loss about this war. But I think most of us don't and that is sad.

Comment by SDA in SEA

SDA in SEA — Thu, 31 May 2007 22:22:25 -0800

I spent 8 years in the military. It was during peace time in the early 1980s, so we didn't have to bury people too often. On two occasions, I served as part of an honor guard at military funerals (you know, those guys that fire the rifles in the air, and hand the flag to the grieving family member). It was peace time, so these were retired vets who'd died of things that old people die of, not young guys killed in the Baghdad meat grinder.

I think it would be incredibly depressing to be an honor guard at funeral after funeral after funeral, burying your friends. Mind you, I don't think it would be any less depressing to have to bury a bunch of them once a month. Ugh.

Can we just declare victory and leave now. Please.

Comment by wench

wench — Thu, 31 May 2007 23:00:50 -0800

Meanwhile Canada continues to discuss totally leaving Afghanistan if the US doesn't live up to it's NATO committments and put some properly trained and supplied troops on the ground there.

Well, it's being discussed, but there's probably not a chance in hell that the Canadians will be out of Afghanistan while the Conservatives are in charge. If the Liberals get back in, that may change the debate.

I think having mass funerals is just appalling. Admittedly, if I was having to do funerals every day of the month... I suppose I could see wanting to have a few funeral-free days.

Comment by Will in Seattle