[Vision2020] The Human Toll

[Tom Hansen]

"The notion that we ought to now go to Baghdad and somehow take control of
the country strikes me as an extremely serious one in terms of what we'd
have to do once we got there. You'd probably have to put some new government
in place. It's not clear what kind of government that would be, how long
you'd have to stay. For the U.S. to get involved militarily in determining
the outcome of the struggle over who's going to govern in Iraq strikes me as
a classic definition of a quagmire." 

- Dick Cheney, 1991
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Stuff/Cheney_Quagmire.mp3

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>From the January 1, 2007 edition of the Army Times -

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U.S. service members who died while supporting combat operations in Iraq,
confirmed by the Defense Department from December 15 through December 21:

Army Pfc. Joe L. Baines, 19, of Newark, New Jersey; assigned to the 1st
Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas.

Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Burgess, 21, of Sanford, Michigan; assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Twentynine Palms, California.

Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew W. Clark, 22, of St. Louis, Missouri; assigned to
2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine
Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. 

Army Spc. Andrew P. Daul, 21, of Brighton, Michigan; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division,
Friedberg, Germany.

Army Spc. Scott D. Dykman, 27, of Helena, Montana; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team
(Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Army Staff Sgt. Henry K. Kahalewai, 43, of Hilo, Hawaii; assigned to the 1st
Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker
Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Washington.

Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan L. Mayhan, 25, of Hawthorne, California; assigned to
3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. 

Army Staff Sgt. Jacob G. McMillan, 25, of Lafayette, Louisiana; assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat
Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Army Staff Sgt. Brian L. Mintzlaff, 34, of Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas.

Navy Hospitalman Kyle A. Nolen, 21, of Ennis, Texas; assigned to H Company,
3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Regimental Combat Team 7, I Marine
Expeditionary Force Forward, 29 Palms, Calif.

Marine Cpl. Joshua D. Pickard, 20, of Merced, California; assigned to 2nd
Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Army Staff Sgt. David R. Staats, 30, of Pueblo, Colorado; assigned to the
1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas. 

Army Spc. Matthew J. Stanley, 22, of Wolfeboro Falls, New Hampshire;
assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 

Army Pfc. Seth M. Stanton, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; assigned to
the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. 

Marine Lance Cpl. Fernando S. Tamayo, 19, of Fontana, California; assigned
to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California. 

Army Spc. Robert J. Volker, 21, of Big Spring, Texas; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas.

Marine Lance Cpl. Luke C. Yepsen, 20, of Kingwood, Texas; assigned to 1st
Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force,
Twentynine Palms, California.


December 15 - December 21
Killed: 17; wounded in action: 172


March 19, 2003 - December 21, 2006
Killed: 2,962; wounded in action: 22,401

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And the beat goes on . . .

"Bring 'em Home"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Bring_em_home.mp3

"If you love this land of the free
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
Bring them back from overseas
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

It will make the politicians sad, I know 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
They wanna tangle with their foe 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

They wanna test their grand theories
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
With the blood of you and me
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

Now we'll give no more brave young lives 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
For the gleam in someone's eyes 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

The men will cheer and the boys will shout 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
Yeah and we will all turn out 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

The church bells will ring with joy
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
To welcome our darlin' girls and boys
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

We will lift their voice and sound
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
Yeah, when Johnny comes marching home
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home."
   
Pro patria,

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime."

-- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.