RE: 4000 Killed in Iraq
Interview of the Vice President by Martha Raddatz, ABC News
ANKARA, Turkey
Q: Mr. Vice President, I want to start with the milestone today of 4,000 dead in Iraq, Americans, and just what effect you think that has on the country. Your thoughts on that?
A: VICE PRESIDENT: Well, it obviously brings home, I think for a lot of people, the cost that's involved in the global war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. It places a special burden, obviously, on the families. We recognize, I think -- it's a reminder of the extent to which we're blessed with families who have sacrificed as they have. The President carries the biggest burden, obviously; he's the one who has to make the decision to commit young Americans. But we are fortunate to have the group of men and women, the all-volunteer force, who voluntarily put on the uniform and go in harm's way for the rest of us. You wish nobody ever lost their life, but unfortunately it's one of those things that go with living in the world we live in. Sometimes you have to commit military force, and when you do, there are casualties.
During a briefing with reporters Monday, White House press secretary Dana Perino said the president "definitely feels the loss.""He gets a report about every single soldier who passes away," she said. "And he always pauses a moment to think about them and to offer a prayer for their loved ones and their family and friends."
Did I hear:
1. The President carries the biggest burden, obviously; he's the one who has to make the decision to commit young Americans.
2. He gets a report about every single soldier who passes away,"
BIGGEST BURDEN---PASSES AWAY
Soldiers don't "Pass Away"! They are Killed in Action! Sacrifice for their country! Die in the line of duty! Seventy year olds "pass away" in their sleep, 24 year olds on the battle field don't pass away. IEDs do not make you "pass away", they make you "Go Away".
Oh, yes and the V.P says the families of those killed in Iraq bear a "special burden" but the President carries the "biggest burden"!
By the way, the phrase "passed away" does not appear on the official White House briefing transcript. It has passed away its own self.
My mind Boggles......
6 comments:
America isn't at war. The Marines are at war. America is at the mall.
As individuals we don't always get the leaders we deserve, but as a citizenry, we do. Anyone who says "the economy" when asked about the most important voting issue this time has copped should give everyone else a similar bye to be self-centered. Be for the war or against it, but when you're sending people to kill and die, one's level of creature comforts seems a pretty sad thing to ahead of that decision.
Excellent point TS,
Let's not forget the Army, Force, and Navy too. This war is painless for "the people" because it is painless for "the leadership". I truly believe that.
Except that it is also painless for "the leadership" because it is painless for "the people". Oh where to inject the pain?
It is obviously not too painful for the Executive Branch, regardless of their claims. The Legislative Leadership is putting off the pain of the cost and ignoring the pain of its Armed Services and their families, by shoving everything into the future.
When it all comes down to done, it will come down everywhere. The War in Iraq will collapse our economy, our energy systems, our self defense, our financial systems, and worst of all our own faith in ourselves. There is still time brother.....but we won't act until it doesnt matter if we do act.
I feel a tune coming on....Let's All Shop Our Way Out Of Baghdad,
Let's Buy Our Way Out Of Mosul,
Oh Fill Our Esplanade With Premium And Take Me Out To The Mall....(music fades as protesters march into the mall parking lot with signs. The signs saying... buy more... spend more... buy American...no down payment...discounts for Iraqi Veterans...)
Porky Pig sticks his head out of an expanding circle and says..." Ah be, Ah be, That's All Folks". Close circle to black background.
Differences in death rates according to the branch of service overwhelmingly
reflect differences in exposure to combat. Table 2 and Figure 1 show that the rate of
death for Marines is more than double that of any other branch of service. It is 10 times
higher than the death rate in the Navy and 20 times higher than the death rate in the Air
Force. In fact, Naval and Air Force personnel in Iraq have a much lower death rate than
young men in the civilian population (cf. Table 1). Army troops are intermediate; their
death rate is virtually identical to that of all service personnel in Iraq combined.
http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=psc_working_papers
Not that there are not sacrifices other than the Ultimate Sacrifice, but it really is different. And sorry about all the missing and added words in the original coomment. It was early that day.
"Sometimes you have to commit military force, and when you do, there are casualties." vpCheney
..the operative words appear to be
'have to'. One ponders how the antithetical alternative "don't have to' would have worked out?
I can say with close to absolute certainty and without presuming to know the future: the world would contain fewer terrorists in 2008 if the US had refrained from going into Iraq in 2003.
TS, BB, I hear you. History will not treat us well on this one. Wait, we do tend to bury our really shitty mistakes though don't we? I mean how many people remember that we fought with Japan against Russia in 1919? Naw, this one smells too much. It will be remembered. And oh yes, God bless the United States Marines, and that comes from an old Army 1st Infantry boy.
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