tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134668.post2518422083806326404..comments2024-03-07T18:38:58.284-08:00Comments on kidchamp dot net: laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03429404210444847213noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134668.post-2798708136057986502008-03-20T10:22:42.000-07:002008-03-20T10:22:42.000-07:00I wouldn't necessarily call it "encouragi...I wouldn't necessarily call it "encouraging." The takeaway from this, I think, is that there are good, decent people (for the most part) who are fighting over there. (Seriously, Lynndie England: <i>fuck the fuck off.</i>) War compels decent people to do things that ranges from the distasteful to the inexplicable. Without having been there, or having been anything close to a warrior, I suspect that all wars are like that. <br /><br />They all have families and backgrounds that show that they could have done something else, and probably pretty well. Hell: the West Point grads all could have landed at a kick-ass non-military school, as Tim could have. (This discounts, of course, those in poorer segments who see the Army as a way out. The service is no less important on account of this, however.)<br /><br />But we have been there for five years, and the monthly death count (for us and for Iraqis) is way too high. The Iraq Body Count people (probably the most conservative counters out there) have the death toll among civilans for the last seven days (3/13-19) as follows: 39, 15, 19, 26, 92, 28, and 45. This may be lies, damn lies and statistics -- apples and oranges territory, but: that's basically Virginia Tech every single damn day. And America (writ large with a broad brush) ground to a halt after that, for at least a day, in grief.<br /><br />Point: the sooner Tim is home, the better.tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134668.post-11788131647844289322008-03-20T11:04:23.000-07:002008-03-20T11:04:23.000-07:00hard to follow tom's comment, but i'll do ...hard to follow tom's comment, but i'll do it anyway.<br /><br /><i>it's nice to read something encouraging about the situation out there for once.</i><br /><br />i agree. thanks for sharing it, lauren (and tom). for all the media coverage you see about "supporting our troops and bringing them home", there isn't a whole lot that covers what they are actually accomplishing in iraq -- which, to me, makes the "support" part little more than lip service. <br /><br />whether we think they ought to be there or not, the fact is the troops are there. and they are doing some tangible good, like setting up new schools, building hospitals, and training doctors. sadly, this positive impact doesn't get mainstream news coverage. probably because it would conflict with the dominant message about the whole thing being a bad idea.<br /><br />i should note that my source for this information isn't the media. it's a family member serving in baghdad.valyanoreply@blogger.com