The diabolically compromised view of our sorties into Iraq and Afghanistan begins with the vision of these wars as well worth the loss of “treasure” when compared to more momentous conflagrations. As the number of deaths has ticked away over the years in a trickle of blood and tissue, supporters of invasion and incursion have been more than happy to wave away one thousand soldiers dead—then two and three and even four thousand.
Compared to the great wars—and the 120 million dead from all the wars of the 20th Century—a few thousand casualties can seem like nothing more than a rounding error.
Somehow both the deniers of the dead and the critics of the war managed to all but miss the most recent threshold of treasure spent—the combined deaths of more than 5,000 United States soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because much of the coverage was veiled beneath the more immediate news that July 2009 had become the deadliest month for U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, the larger story of our war dead fell through the cracks of the latest news cycle July 20, 2009. In case you’re interested in the details, four Americans killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan helped put us over the top.
Of course, so the argument goes, 5,000 dead is a mere pittance, however painful, in what used to be called the war on terror. Imagine if we could have spent a mere 5,000 American lives to stop Hitler. Compared to the 58,000 dead U.S. soldiers in Viet Nam, 5,000 dead hardly represents a downpayment on our future in a world still populated by the likes of Osama bin-Laden and like-minded jihadists who prefer us dead and hopefully dismembered.
Or so the argument goes.
Every time we cross a new milestone of war dead, I try to take a moment on my “Con Games” radio show to talk about the gruesome moral ambiguity of such calculations. In brief, my argument goes something like this: if 1,000 dead is no big deal, then what about 2,000—or 5,000 or 10,000?
At what point would the toll of American “treasure” start to weigh upon us?
You can argue either side, but I think the time has come to draw the line. With 5,000 American soldiers dead and gone, I think we have enough of our countrymen and women in the ground to say enough is enough.
Then again: who’s counting the thing that really counts?
“the thing that really counts”
how much DU is spread all over the Middle East because of this governments Empire Building?
how much energy does it take to kill over a million people in the Middle East? over lies of 911
how much energy does it take to displace 3 million people in the Middle East? because this government lied
mr conman, you love to talk about “global warming” or now “climate change” to tax and control everyone, yet you never talk about the above listed items.
mr conman instead of saying Fuck You, all just say your a good conman and your pom poms are getting their moneys use out of you.
“Somehow both the deniers of the dead and the critics of the war managed to all but miss”… what could we have possibly missed Con-Man?? Perhaps the foundation to all this madness?
[Then again: who’s counting the thing that really counts?]
Wake Up Now, an organization made up of mostly Carbondale residents, is counting. Every Monday for the last five years, they’ve been writing the number of soldiers killed, wounded and suffering from PTSD in Iraq and Afghanistan, on a bulletin board at the Carbondale Town Hall flagpole. The flag is lowered to half mast (much to the consternation of flag etiquette purists) and each person present (usually between half a dozen to two dozen) reads the name of ten deceased soldiers.
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/131816
So yes, someone is counting, even if only in a tiny town in the middle of the Rockies.
Kudos to Wake Up Now. It takes a lot of gumption to keep counting once everyone’s attention has waned. You have my admiration.
Best, Con Man!
The students at Yampa alternative high school in Glenwood Springs did this as well, with a weekly sign on the alternative route, until those that are scared of “men-in-caves” continued to harass these “left out teenagers” who dared to think for themselves and question authority.
Sure wish there were someone who could make a difference (hint, hint) and had the courage to leave the land of the lying puppets .