[Vision2020] The Human Toll

Tue Jul 31 16:11:57 PDT 2007

"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 August 6, 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 July 20 through July 26: 

Army Pvt. Michael A. Baloga, 21, of Everett, Washington; assigned to the 6th
Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Spc. Charles E Bilbrey, Jr., 21, of Owego, New York; assigned to the
5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. 

Army Sgt. Courtney D. Finch, 27, of Leavenworth, Kansas; assigned to the
714th Maintenance Company, Kansas Army National Guard, Topeka, Kansas.

Army Pfc. Cody C. Grater, 20, of Spring Hill, Florida; assigned to the 407th
Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Army Sgt. William R. Howdeshell, 37, of Norfolk, Virginia; assigned to the
5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Army Spc. Daniel A. Leckel, 19, of Medford, Oregon; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

Marine Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, Kentucky; assigned to
1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine
Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. 

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua P. Mattero, 29, of San Diego, California; assigned to
the 749th Ordnance Company, 63rd Explosive Ordnance Battalion, Andrews Air
Force Base, Maryland.

Marine Cpl. James H. McRae, 22, of Springtown, Texas; assigned to 3rd
Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics
Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. 

Navy Hospitalman Daniel S. Noble, 21, of Whittier, California; assigned to
1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, Camp Pendleton, California.

Army Spc. Jaime Rodriguez, Jr., 19, of Oxnard, California; assigned to the
5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. 

Army Staff Sgt. Wilberto Suliveras, 38, of Humacao, Puerto Rico; assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Marine Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wisconsin; assigned to 2nd
Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

July 20 - July 26
Killed: 13; wounded in action: 147

March 19, 2003 - July 26, 2007 
Killed: 3,634; wounded in action: 26,953

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U.S. service members who died while supporting combat operations in
Afghanistan, confirmed by the Defense Department from July 20 through July
26:

Army Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr., 37, of Llano, Texas; assigned to 1st
Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team,
Vicenza, Italy. 

Army 1st Sgt. Michael S. Curry Jr., 37, of Dania Beach, Florida; assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne
Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy. 

Army Pfc. Adam J. Davis, 19, of Twin Falls, Idaho; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat
Team, Vicenza, Italy. 

Army Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, of Spring, Texas; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany.

Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche, 23, of Martinsville, Indiana; assigned
to 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team,
Vicenza, Italy. 

Army Sgt. Travon T. Johnson, 29, of Palmdale, California; assigned to the
1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade
Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy. 

Army Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo, 20, of Pembroke Pines, Florida; assigned to the
2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade
Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

Army Pfc. Jessy S. Rogers, 20, of Copper Center, Alaska; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat
Team, Vicenza, Italy. 

July 20 - July 26
Killed:  8; Wounded in action: 27

Oct. 10, 2001 - July 26, 2007
Killed: 416; Wounded in action: 1,428

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National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Mobilized 
(as of July 25, 2007) 
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2007/d20070725ngr.pdf

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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 our 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.