[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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"I think Rumsfeld, Cheney, and the president made a big mistake in
justifying going into the war in Iraq.  They put the emphasis on weapons of
mass destruction." 

- Gerald R. Ford (July 28, 2004)
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Stuff/Ford_Iraq_Big_Mistake.mp3
 
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>From the February 12, 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 January 26 through February 1:

Army Pfc. David C. Armstrong, 21, of Zanesville, Ohio; assigned to the 57th
Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater
Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Pacific, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Marine Sgt. Alejandro Carrillo, 22, of Los Angeles, California; assigned to
Combat Logistics Battalion 7, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine
Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Chief Warrant Officer Cornell C. Chao, 36, of California; assigned to the
4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 

Navy Seaman Matthew G. Conte, 22, of Mogadore, Ohio; assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. 

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Terry J. Elliott, 34, of Middleton, Tennessee; assigned
to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Marine Lance Cpl. Adam Q. Emul, 19, of Vancouver, Washington; assigned to
3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California.

Army Sgt. Mickel D. Garrigus, 24, of Elma, Washington; assigned to the 543rd
Military Police Company, 91st Police Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade,
10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Army Spc. Alan E. McPeek, 20, of Tucson, Arizona; assigned to the 16th
Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Giessen,
Germany.

Army Sgt. Maj. Michael C. Mettille, 44, of West St. Paul, Minnesota;
assigned to the 134th Brigade Support Battalion, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. 

Army Capt. Mark T. Resh, 28, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; assigned to the
4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Staff Sgt. Ronnie L. Sanders, 26, of Thibodaux, Louisiana; assigned to
the 407th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Army Cpl. Stephen D. Shannon, 21, of Guttenberg, Iowa; assigned to the 397th
Engineer Battalion, Wausau, Wisconsin.

Army Sgt. William M. Sigua, 21, of Los Altos Hills, California; assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Army Pfc. Jon B. St. John II, 25, of Neenah, Wisconsin; assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas.  
 
Army Cpl. Timothy A. Swanson, 21, of San Antonio, Texas; assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas. 

Army Pfc. David T. Toomalatai, 19, of Long Beach, California; assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas. 

Army Pvt. Matthew T. Zeimer, 18, of Glendive, Montana; assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.



January 26 - February 1
Killed: 17; wounded in action: 165


March 19, 2003 - February 1, 2007
Killed: 3,067; wounded in action: 23,279

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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
Moscow, Idaho

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

-- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.