A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
The media right now is thanking the Maker for the artificial 4,000th “milestone” death in Iraq. It gives them something to talk about and the ability to refocus their agenda so that the candidates have something to talk about to win office. What you don’t hear them doing is sickening and appalling.
We here at ASP want to thank those 4,000 brave men and women who have paid a steep price for freedom. We honor them and their families who pay a deeper price for their sacrifices. Because of these 4,000 heroes, millions of Iraqis are enjoying true freedoms for the first times in their life. They no longer need to live in fear that their opinion about their leader will get their tongues cut off, their family killed, or their job lost.
Because of these 4,000 Iraq is more stable and secure with an “audacity of hope”, reconciliation, and optimism. Democracy is taking hold and the surge has allowed unprecedented progress in the government. Iraq has passed more laws in one year than our country has the past three!
We continue to be burdened by the terrorists who are clinging to every ounce of determination they can muster, despite their problems recruiting and staying alive. None of these Soldiers has died in vain, regardless of what the Code Pinkos, IVAWs, and other extreme left-wingers of this country want us to believe. They deserve to be honored, not splashed across our television sets and front page newspapers as lost causes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as a Soldier I grieve at the loss of even one of my fellow brothers or sisters in arms. But let me tell you something having lost some good friends and people I knew in this war: there is nothing “grim” about these losses. They are the price to be paid for freedom from tyranny and terrorism. I would love nothing more than be able to defeat a violent, ruthless enemy and never lose one Soldier. Never suffer one casualty. Never fire one shot. The “grim” reality is that making peace possible doesn’t happen that way.
The anti-war movement and mainstream media did a good job promoting the “5th anniversary” of the start of the war in Iraq on March 19th. Now, let’s see if they are equally as zealous promoting April 9th as Iraqi Liberation Day and give some of those 4,000 the real credit they deserve!!
“One day people will look back at this moment in history and say, ‘Thank God there were courageous people willing to serve, because they laid the foundations for peace for generations to come,’” Bush said after a State Department briefing about long-term diplomacy efforts.
“I have vowed in the past, and I will vow so long as I’m president, to make sure that those lives were not lost in vain — that, in fact, there is an outcome that will merit the sacrifice,” Bush said.
Congress, as always, continues to be pessimistic and refuses to see reality for what it is.
“Americans are asking how much longer must our troops continue to sacrifice for the sake of an Iraqi government that is unwilling or unable to secure its own future,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Ms. Pelosi, what is the result, then, of removing troops from a country “unwilling or unable to secure” itself? The answer to that question is why we Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors are so necessary and that our presence be maintained until they are “willing” AND “able”!!
Please also watch this Gold Star Mom.
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![[UPDATE] The “Face” of Military Dating Scams – The Wall of Shame](http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/themes/LondonLive/thumb.php?src=http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2.jpg&w=53&h=41&zc=1&q=100)
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
@Jc great job scammers NEVER seem to get their lies right glad you sme
l_67adf48d1a7f4cfb5ad16cbc7155d263
@ No Name dont you think you can find something better to do besides a
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
OK how about Clement Rogers, US Army? he sent me a long email after me
CajunTiger
Very well said…will “steal” title and link to this post =)
concretebob
We have 4,000 reasons to stay until we win.
David
Indeed, I hope and pray that we have the smarts on how to win. The leadership keeps inundating everyone with images of winning which beckons back to WWII where the end was dramatic and definate.
Ms. Pelosi asked a very relevant question in saying “how long?”. At the onset of this war, we were led to believe that it would be very quick and decisive and that certainly hasn’t been the case. For all of Bush’s saying that he will make sure the job gets done is irrelvant to say the least. He will be putting his feet up in Crawford, this time next year and the war will continue. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for for a timeline. Just for someone that I have trust in to stand up and say with impunity that they will ask the Iraqi’s on a weekly basis why they are not ready yet and by the way, we need some of the oil revenue to pay for some of this. Petreus might be the person, but he hasn’t said much lately. I don’t want to hear another story that we provided drinking water to another village or built a school. The US Army I joined wasn’t the Peace Corp but a fighting force. Let’s just get it done with.
David
David
That said, Thank You, 4000! and Thank you CJ for bringing the relevant to our attention.
David
CJ
David, it is true that we predicted a quick outcome. We weren’t prepared to deal with the insurgency for a number of reasons. we had no idea that Saddam had put in place an insurgent infrastructure in case of his demise. We also didn’t plan on the Iranians and Syrians (though the Syrians seem to have gotten smart) sending in more troops to foment rage and destruction.
As a Soldier on the ground, I remember the plan: we fight our way to Baghdad, take out Saddam’s regime, and be back home by May!! It was supposed to be like Desert Storm where they all just gave up and went home. Saddam definitely learned from Bush Sr.’s cowardice during that time. We should have finished the job while he had the chance and we wouldn’t have had to go in this time.
Another reason it’s taken so long is all the public discussion at the political level of draw downs, timetables for withdrawal, and other discussion that doesn’t belong where the enemy can hear it. It only emboldened to fight harder until we just gave in the pressure. In the past year, they’ve seen that we WON’T give up until they do. By building the schools and water treatment facilities you don’t want to hear about, we’re convincing the Iraqi people that we’re the side they want to be on – that WE have their best interests at stake, not the terrorists.
I agree with you about the oil revenue. If I were king for a day, that would be my first demand – start paying for our presence there or we really do leave. We’re there at their request. I understand that this is a sensitive issue because the last thing I want to be as a US Soldier is a “hired gun” in the service of Iraq because their oil is paying for me to be there. But, they can pay to run the camps or keep our vehicles fueled free of cost since that is our biggest expense besides personnel.
I caution everyone else not to turn this post into a political debate about Iraq. This is about those 4,000 Soldiers who should be honored, thanked, and remembered as well as their families.
Critical Facts
I respect the 4,000 dead, and also, even more so, the 30,000 wounded who will live with this war more than the rest of us each day of their lives.
Donna
Thank You 4000 and your families! We are so appreciative and I’m sure the majority of the Iraqis are too. They just don’t get a chance to speak to the American people about it. Anyway we honor all those who have fallen and the many who are wounded in this battle! May God Bless You All !!
Flag Gazer
CJ –
I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you that I don’t count numbers – I cherish names…..
To my dear friend, Sgt James Craig, who lost his life in January – to Sgt Eddie Jeffers, to LCpl Aaron Austin, to Maj Gregory Stone, to PFC Thomas Tucker, to Spc Kristian Menchaca, to LCpl Randy Newman, to Sgt Zachary McBriide… You touched my life and made my life richer… my list goes on…
For those of you with no list, I encourage you to learn who one of the fallen was. To be grateful to each of them. To remember the families and friends that were left behind.
They have names. They died fighting for me. They died honorably and strong and proud. I miss them. God Bless them all.
Donna
I forgot to say that I honor the families of the fallen as well and the families who are struggling with their soldier’s injuries also. It is so hard on the ones left I’m sure and also the injured soldier’s families. God Bless You All ! Thank You to you too!!
wordsmith
A post to back that up
wordsmith
You said it well back at 2000, CJ. Still applies today.
sue
My heartfelt thanks to the Heroes who gave all, the families who gave so much, and those who have sacrificed and live with the results of those sacrifices in the name of Freedom. There are names, 4000 of them, each with a story. Each who lived a life, often an extraordinary life. And we owe it to each and every one of them to tell their story, to remember always the price they paid for all of us.
I too have my list of names who have touched me in some way:
Spc Joey Graves, Cpl Kory Weins, SSD Cooper, Cpl Lance Springer, Lance Cpl Rogelio Ramirez, Sgt Bobby Rapp, SSG Michael Gabel, Sgt Michael Stokely, Cpl Mike Rojas, Sgt Ross Clevenger, Pfc Raymond Werner, Cpt Michael Cerrone and Sgt Jim Holtom.
Halfway down the road to hell,
In a shady meadow green,
Are the souls of all dead troopers camped
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddler’s Green.
-Author Unknown
God Bless.
SSgtJ
Please let me add my voice to the chorus above. Rest in peace all 4000 of you. May God calm the heart and sooth the minds of the family, friends and loved ones of each of you. Yes, you are numbers, and yes you are names, and as Sue said above, you are also faces, and lives and souls. Faces that we see every day in our minds, bodies that we feel every day in our arms as we hold you and watch you take your last breath. We also thank each of you that have been hurt physically, emotionally, financially, and more … God bless all of you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of you, we will continue the march …
Tom the Redhunter
Re the post; absolutely right that now we have 4,000 reasons to win. And for all the mistakes we made early on, we’re on the right track now.
“I were king for a day, that would be my first demand – start paying for our presence there or we really do leave. We’re there at their request.
Well… no. We’re there because it is in our own interest for us to be there, not out of the goodness of our hearts. Leaving if the Iraqis don’t pay us would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Besides, it would open us to the charge of being mercenaries, something that the Jihadist media would exploit to the fullest. And besides the bombs and bullets, we are in a war of ideas and propaganda.
Don’t get me wrong; I think it is a good thing that we are there because it is in our interest to be there. We had lots of valid reasons to invade, and lots of valid reasons to stay.
It’s like our presence in western Europe during the Cold War; we were protecting Europe because it was in our interest to do so. Sure, I too wish they had shouldered more of the burden of their own defense. Maybe we should have even pressured them more to do so. But what if we had left Europe in, say 1978 because we felt that Europe wasn’t paying “their fair share” and a year later the Soviets overran the continent? Would we really sit back and with self-satisfaction say “told you so!” ?
yankeemom
Amen, CJ and thank you ~
And a resounding Soldier’s Mom’s HOOAHH!!
We are so blessed as a nation to have such fine men and women who stepped up in the most challenging of times.
Jenn
I thank ,and remember, all those who have, who are and who will be serving to protect this wonderful country we live in!! Your post was awesome CJ, I learned alot of new information that I can use when defending the 4000 Heroes to the extremists!!
Our family remembers with love and pride…PFC Justin Paton
julie
Firstly, I want to thank all those who serve and sacrifice…all of the fallen and their families, along with those who are wounded and their families. Words really can’t express adequately my humble gratitude, but I will be forever grateful to each and every one.
Thank you so much for posting this. I agree with what you’ve said wholeheartedly.
sue
I would like to say that any one who has a family member or friend who would like to have them remembered on They Have Names, (theyhavenames.com) please email me (sue@theyhavenames.com) with any information you have and I will make sure they get on my list to be researched and profiled. The website is dedicated to the memory of these fine men and women and gives them names, and faces, and tells the stories of their lives. It’s more of a celebration of their lives than a counting of their deaths.
Chris Rhodes
4000 and counting. Yes honour them down to the last, but when its all said and done just like Vietnam it will have all been a waste of time, money and lives.
I love soldiers one and all and I value their lives too much to waste on another Vietnam.
Guys 4000 dead is not a reason to kill another 4000 in pursuit of an unatainable goal. The top brass got it wrong from the start underestimating the enemy, nothing I have seen recently tells me they have got it right.
CJ
I’m sorry, Chris, you’re just plain wrong. We didn’t waste time, money and lives and Vietnam and we didn’t waste them in Iraq. As much as I mourn the loss of my fellow Soldiers, each of their losses is worth the freedom of millions. My death would be just as worthy. I’m sorry you don’t feel that way, but you’ll never convince me.