[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
 
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 January 7, 2008 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 21 through December 27:

Army Pfc. Joseph R. Berlin Jr., 21, of Chelsea, Alabama; assigned to the
Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Capt. Rowdy J. Inman, 38, of Panorama Village, Texas; assigned to the
3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas. 
http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3275460.html

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Victor W. Jeffries, 52, of Honolulu, Hawaii;
assigned to the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group, Kuwait.
http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3281580.html

Army Sgt. Benjamin B. Portell, 27, of Bakersfield, California; assigned to
the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3275472.html

Army Sgt. Bryan J. Tutten, 33, of St. Augustine, Florida; assigned to the
1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3275070.html

December 21 - December 27
Killed: 5; wounded in action: 62

March 19, 2003 - December 27, 2007 
Killed: 3,887; wounded in action: 28,773

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No U.S. service members died while supporting combat operations in
Afghanistan, confirmed by the Defense Department from December 21 through
December 27:

December 21 - December 27
Killed: 0; Wounded in action: 6

Oct. 10, 2001 - December 27, 2007
Killed: 469; Wounded in action: 1,840

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National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Mobilized 
(as of December 19, 2007) 
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2007/d20071219ngr.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." 

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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.