[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 19, 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 February 2 through February 8:

Army Sgt. Corey J. Aultz, 31, of Port Orchard, Washington; assigned to the
1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. 

Army Pfc Kenneth T. Butler, 21, of East Liverpool, Ohio; assigned to the
57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater
Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Pacific, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. 

Army Chief Warrant Officer Jason G. Defrenn, 34, of Barnwell, South
Carolina; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Cavalry Regiment,
1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 

Army Staff Sgt. Terrence D. Dunn, 38, of Houston, Texas; assigned to the
210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, New York.

Marine Sgt. Maj. Joseph J. Ellis, 40, of Ashland, Ohio; assigned to
Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15th Marine
Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. 

Marine Sgt. Joshua J. Frazier, 24, of Spotsylvania, Virginia; assigned to
1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Army Sgt. Milton A. Gist Jr., 27, of St Louis, Missouri; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris, 28, of Swampscott, Massachusetts; assigned
to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd
Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton,
California.

Marine 1st Lt. Jared M. Landaker, 25, of Big Bear City, California; assigned
to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd
Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton,
California.

Army Capt. Kevin C. Landeck, 26, of Illinois; assigned to the 2nd Battalion,
15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, New York.

Army Sgt. Randy J. Matheny, 20, of McCook, Nebraska; assigned to the 1074th
Transportation Company, Sidney, Nebraska. 

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Gilbert Minjares Jr., 31, of El Paso, Texas;
assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Cherry
Point, North Carolina.

Marine Cpl. Jennifer M. Parcell, 20, of Bel Air, Maryland; assigned to
Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, 3rd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

Marine Sgt. Travis D. Pfister, 27, of Richland, Washington; assigned to
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine
Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Marine Cpl. Richard O. Quill III, 22, of Roswell, Georgia; assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Manuel A. Ruiz, 21, of Federalsburg, Maryland;
assigned to 2nd Medical Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Marine Cpl. Thomas E. Saba, 30, of Toms River, New Jersey; assigned to
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. 

Army Spc. Eric R. Sieger, 18, of Layton, Utah; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas.

Marine Sgt. James R. Tijerina, 26, of Beasley, Texas; assigned to Marine
Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine
Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon J. Van Parys, 20, of New Tripoli, Pennsylvania;
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd
Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 

Army Chief Warrant Officer Keith Yoakum, 41, of Hemet, California; assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division,
Fort Hood, Texas.


February 2 - February 8
Killed: 21; wounded in action: 138


March 19, 2003 - February 8, 2007
Killed: 3,102; wounded in action: 23,417

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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.