[Vision2020] The Human Toll

Tue Sep 4 15:28:23 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

And Dick Cheney again in 1994
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9a8_1186873756

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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 September 10, 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 August 24 through August 30:

Army Spc. Edward L. Brooks, 25, of Dayton, Ohio; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Schweinfurt, Germany. 

Army Staff Sgt. Jason M. Butkus, 34, of West Milford, New Jersey; assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

Army Sgt. James S. Collins Jr., 35, of Rochester Hills, Michigan; assigned
to the 303rd Military Police Company (Combat Support), U.S. Army Reserve,
Jackson, Michigan.

Army Capt. Erick M. Foster, 29, of Wexford, Pennsylvania; assigned to the
1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Army Staff Sgt. Andrew P. Nelson, 22, of Moorhead, Minnesota; assigned to
the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Marine Lance Cpl. Rogelio A. Ramirez, 21, of Pasadena, California; assigned
to 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Army Pvt. Justin T. Sanders, 22, of Watson, Louisiana; assigned to the 2d
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, of Muskegon, Michigan; assigned
to the 2d Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Striker Brigade
Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Marine Cpl. John C. Tanner, 21, of Columbus, Georgia; assigned to3rd Assault
Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Pendleton, California.

Army Spc. Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas, Nevada; assigned to the 3d
Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 3d Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

August 24 - August 30
Killed: 10; wounded in action: 156

March 19, 2003 - August 30, 2007 
Killed: 3,728; wounded in action: 27,662

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The following U.S. service members died while supporting combat operations
in Afghanistan, confirmed by the Defense Department from August 24 through
August 30:

Army Sgt. Jan M. Argonish, 26, of Peckville, Pennsylvania; assigned to the
55th Brigade, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Army Master Sgt. Scott R. Ball, 38, of Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania;
assigned to the 55th Brigade, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Scranton,
Pennsylvania. 

Army Sgt. Cory L. Clark, 25, of Plant City, Florida; assigned to the 585th
Engineer Pipeline Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade,
Fort Lewis, Washington.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Rocky H. Herrera, 43, of Salt Lake City, Utah; assigned
to the 585th Engineer Pipeline Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th
Engineer Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington. 

Army Sgt. Bryce D. Howard, 24, of Vancouver, Washington; assigned to
Headquarters Support Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer
Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Army Maj. Henry S. Ofeciar, 37, of Agana, Guam; assigned to the 1st Brigade,
1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas.

Army Pfc. Thomas R. Wilson, 21, of Maurertown, Virginia; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat
Team, Vicenza, Italy.

August 24 - August 30
Killed:  7; Wounded in action: 22

Oct. 10, 2001 - August 30, 2007
Killed: 433; Wounded in action: 1,521

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National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Mobilized 
(as of August 29, 2007) 
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2007/d20070829ngr.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.