We Remember the Fallen

In the middle of all our merriment we need to pause and remember all those that will find this  Christmas difficult. Especially those that have seen their family members and friends killed in this war. Thank God it is winding down. But let us ponder the hard truth which CNN continues to lay before us.

Iraq--4,803 US troops and coalition forces have died since the war started. 32,330 have come home wounded many totally disabled.


Afghanistan--3,215 US troops and coalition forces have died in that country. 18,071 have come wounded.

As of June 3, 2012 (the latest figures I could find) the Pentagon in the first 155 days of the year suicides of army active-duty soldiers  totaled: 154 personnel. In the same period last there there were 130 suicides.

An American soldier dies every day and a half in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Veterans kill themselves at a rate of one every 80 minutes.

Charles Bukowski's, moving poem "the con job" is worth pondering.

"the ground war began today
at dawn
in a desert land
far from here.

the U.S. ground troops were
largely 
made up of
Blacks, Mexicans and poor
whites
most of them had joined 
the military
because it was the only job
they could find.

the ground war began today
at dawn
in a desert land
far from here
and the Blacks, Mexicans
and poor whites
were sent there
to fight and win
as on tv
an on the radio
the fat white rich newscasters
first old us about it
and then the far rich white 
analysts
told us
why
again

and again
and again
on almost every
tv and radio station
almost every minute
day and night
because 
the Blacks, Mexicans
and poor whites
were sent there
to fight and win
at dawn
in a desert land
far enough away from
here."
--Good Poems For Hard Times, p.120