“Every time there’s one of these 500-benchmarks, people want something,''

Yeah -- the definition of victory, the plan to achieve it, and a strategy for withdrawal.

No rhetoric. No excuses.

"4,000 dead in Iraq: The 'number' is up"

Yep and this psychopath want's to stay there for another 100 years.
John McCain almost always seems to not know what is really going on other than what his Neocon homeboys tell him. Vote For John McCain in 2008 if you want more of the same or worse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN2Mye_NT4s

I understand that this "dead Americans" count doesn't include dead American contractors. Can you find out how many of those there are?

Check out the graphs and the data at this piece:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/674309/the_full_story_about_those_4000_dead.html

Kenny Bunkport,

Amen,brutha.

And where's all this Iraqi Government political reconcilliation that the surge was all about?

Once again team Dubya is trying to play U.S. as chumps.

We can't do much about the pathological liars that are Dubya & Darth, but we can deny them a 3rd term via John McSame's "100 more years in Iraq."

I mourn every military death since those who died were in the prime of life. However, these loses are hyped for purely political reasons. What about the young people who die in traffic deaths and because of drug over doses. Who mourns for them? In 2004, for example, 4700 teens aged 16 to 19 died in traffic accidents. I had to look that fact up on the internet. Obviously these deaths and others that take between 5000 and 6000 young people each year don't count because there is no political gain in their explotation.

This anti-Bush rant by a partisan reporter rates an A" for effort, "F" for execution.

As one British wit has truly said, if today's media had been reporting World War II, Hitler would have died of old age.

Hey Kids!

There really is still a battle for the Republican nomination going on...and it pits John McCain vs....John McCain?

That's right kiddies, John McCain is trying to defeat himself:
http://www.democrats.org/page/content/mccaindebates/

Yep, he's insane alrighty!

How about the Number of: Two

Sergeant First Class Smith
Cpl. Jason L. Dunham
One Soldier and One Marine who both with the up most valor gave there lives for this country while carrying out there duties with in there respected units. As a former Marine myself going through training we would learn about the Marines before us that has sacrifice themselves diving on a grenade in order to save there fellow comrades. Even in the friendly confides of Parris Island, SC you would think you would find yourself in such a situation such as Corporal Dunham did on On April 14, 2004, in Iraq near the Syrian border. Corporal Dunham used his helmet and his body to smother an exploding Mills Bomb let loose by a raging insurgent whom Dunham and two other Marines tried to subdue.
Thinking to myself, he was taught from the same Marines that I learn of the heroics from other Marines in such conflicts as Vietnam, Korea and World War II. Its amazing to be apart of a group that you know someone that would take the ultimate sacrifice so that you can go home.
Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith was someone you would want leading into combat or down a dark alley. A career solider on his forth deployment to a combat zone and a 2nd time into Iraq as his unit was one of the 1st to penetrate Iraq in the beginning of the invasion. The firefight that ensued in the the Karbala Gap were Sergeant 1st Class Smith valor was tested while withstanding incoming insurgent artillery fire in a ambush that would save about 100 lives however tragically take his own. Sgt 1st Class Smith unwilling knew what it would take for the men in his unit to get out alive when he got behind the The .50-Cal Machine Gun to suppressing the insurgence however succumb to the ultimate sacrifice.
These two Patriots will not be remember as statistics. The 3998 that has also fallen in the Iraq theater of the Global War on Terrorism are also not a statistics. Not only these people are someone loved one however they are also patriotic Americans. For or against the way America chose to handle this great conflict of our time. These people should not die in vain.
There will others that will join the brave in the fallen in the days to come however war is Hell however if you want peace so the next generation dose not have to return well we are only faced with the fact that the time is now.
The number: Two is little known in this conflict in Iraq if the Medial of Honor recipients. The highest honor that is bestowed to the heroic beyond valor. The 3998 that are apart of this number are also bestowed the honor that they should not be marked in vain. There honor must be defended and the only way is victory.
"fear is better met with vigilance"
Jibreel K. Riley

The US Labor Department tracks the number of death claims from US private military contractors in Iraq, 1,123 were reported through the end of 2007 (Houston Chronicle 2/9/08.)

This number reveals that there has been more than 1 private military contractor death for every 4 US soldier's death that is reported to the public by the Department of Defense.

Note that this number reflects only those who have died AND whose wife or children applied for death benefits. A very large number of the approximately 150,000 private military contractors serving in Iraq are not married and do not have children eligible for benefits and their deaths are therefor not included in this number. As these forces play an increasingly important role in Iraq, their death toll has been rising.

This means that for every 4 US military deaths in Iraq, more than 1 additional war-related US death should be added in order to accurately reflect the US death toll.

If anyone knows the cost of war it's John McCain. Save the "pychopath" talk to describe what it's accurate for: yourself.

Jeff in Orlando brings up a good point. With all the deaths from traffic accidents, illness, crime and other things we probably could justify a little a bomb use. Maybe Iran. Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran.

"I mourn every military death since those who died were in the prime of life. However, these loses are hyped for purely political reasons."

Good grief. Do you understand the word UNNECESSARY? Auto accidents are going to happen. Cancer is going to happen. Drowning in a bathtub is going to happen.

Smarter Republics please.

I mourn every military death since those who died were in the prime of life. However, these loses are hyped for purely political reasons. What about the young people who die in traffic deaths and because of drug over doses. Who mourns for them? In 2004, for example, 4700 teens aged 16 to 19 died in traffic accidents. I had to look that fact up on the internet. Obviously these deaths and others that take between 5000 and 6000 young people each year don't count because there is no political gain in their explotation.

Posted by: Jeff in Orlando | March 24, 2008 9:49 PM

Desperate times call for desperate calculatin', don't they JIO? You've been witlessly supporting this disaster from day one and realize how wrong you were, but don't have the integrity to admit it, so you come up with numbers to make you feel better.

Too bad. You should feel horrible, because you and every other war supporter contributed to every single death and injury. You'll never wash away the blood from your hands.

4700 teens died in traffic accidents in 2004. That's a lot, but is that not from a universe of tens of millions of teens either driving or riding? If you consider the percentages there's no comparison between the death rate in Iraq and that on our streets.

Instead of parroting Rush Limbaugh with sophmoric statistical comparisons, try dealing with the fact that everyone understands --it's exponentially more dangerous to be a soldier in Iraq than a passenger in a car in Orlando.

Have some integrity and admit that a lousy situation is in fact lousy.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_NtgXlrcvXZA/R-fZQ6DE48I/AAAAAAAAL5M/bsfbTjd0poI/s1600-h/CHUCKMAN+-+BUSH+-+MEDAL+OF+HIS+OWN+-+4000.jpg

More biased journalistic drivel from Mark and the LIBune Washington press gang. And more fodder for the worst and most worthless of all to get all jiggy about it: the Loons from the Left.

I mourn every military death and honor every soldier who is maimed, but if anyone understands the true horrors and what it takes to win this war it's John McCain. To the protected, like Clinton and Obama, freedom doesn't taste as sweet.

If anyone knows the cost of war it's John McCain. Save the "pychopath" talk to describe what it's accurate for: yourself.

Posted by: Jeff | March 25, 2008 1:22 AM

Yep McCain knows the cost of war. Apparently he doesn't care about it however. If he did care , he wouldn't treat it so lightly, joking about bombing, saying he doesn't care if we're in Iraq a hundred years, promising more wars, lying about a cause of war against Iran. John McCain knows the cost of war and will gleefully pay that cost time and time again for no gain, as in our debacle in Iraq.

To the protected, like Clinton and Obama, freedom doesn't taste as sweet.

Posted by: Jeff | March 25, 2008 9:15 AM

Don't you mean "to the protected" like yourself Jeff? How sweet is freedom to you?

How sweet is not dying to prop up a failed government and policy in Iraq to you? That one is apparently pretty sweet to you since you're posting, not patrolling the streets of Baghdad.

America should be disgusted at the Bush / Cheney adminstration and they should be disgusted at all Republicans and those who were in favor of this illegal unconstitutional war. Each American and Iraqi death is one that has nothing to do wth protecting and serving America, making Americans safer from terrorists, or making Iraqi people free. Our troops were all used by the bush administration for political gain and that is all their deaths were for. Bush & Cheney misused and abused our nation’s military and the deaths of our soldiers means nothing to these spineless Republican chicken hawks who are in favor of waging war from afar as long as it is someone elses children who have to fight it and die in it. And don’t fool yourself America…just because John McCain was a prisoner of war, that does not qualify him to lead this nation in any military fashion. It simply qualifies him to be a prisoner of war and nothing more. The blood of every dead and wounded American and Iraqi is and will always be on the hands of Bush, Cheney and all Republicans who were for this war and all Democrats who were stupid enough to be duped into supporting this Republican war of greed. The only real beneficiaries of the Bush / Cheney Republican war in Iraq are the oil companies, Haliburton and various contractors like Blackwater. The real losers are our troops, the USA and the Iraqi people.

Jeff,
The only thing McCain knows it the price for being a bad pilot. "A captured soldier is a useless soldier", Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

I mourn every military death and honor every soldier who is maimed, but if anyone understands the true horrors and what it takes to win this war it's John McCain. To the protected, like Clinton and Obama, freedom doesn't taste as sweet.

Posted by: Jeff | March 25, 2008 9:15 AM

So far as the record shows, McCain knows no more about "what it takes to win this war" than does GWB or any other Republicant failure. We've been in it for five full years with no end in sight. McCain ought to stick with the only thing we know he can do well -- get a marriage license.

I mourn every military death and honor every soldier who is maimed, but if anyone understands the true horrors and what it takes to win this war it's John McCain. To the protected, like Clinton and Obama, freedom doesn't taste as sweet.

Posted by: Jeff | March 25, 2008 9:15 AM

Seems I remember you saying the same about Bush.

So far as the record shows, McCain knows no more about "what it takes to win this war"
Posted by: a blinkin | March 25, 2008 10:58 AM

A good point a blinkin.....Not to mention it seems McBush doesn't seem to know whos who in Iraq. Sunni, shia, Iran seem to all be the same to McBush. Extremists, bathists, Al-Qaeda, Mehdi army....to much to keep track of.

In an upstairs room in Blackpool
By the side of a northern sea
The army had my father
And my mother was having me
Military Madness was killing my country
Solitary Sadness comes over me
After the school was over and I moved
To the other side
I found another country but I never
Lost my pride
Military Madness was killing the country
Solitary sadness creeps over me
And after the wars are over
And the body count is finally filed
I hope that The Man discovers
Whats driving the people wild
Military madness is killing your country
So much sadness, between you and me
War, War, War, War, War, War

CSN&Y

Wiener & blinkin’ - Let’s talk about numbers and UNNECESSARY:

4000 Americans have been murdered in the quagmire that is Illinois during the same time span as the war. Roughly 80,000 in this country. NECESSARY? Where are the protests and demonstrations for these poor souls?

7000 Americans die each year from the wrong medical prescription, an easily solvable problem. NECESSARY? Any concern?

14000 from drunk driving. NECESSARY? An unfortunate waste.

These brave soldiers have perished getting rid of a brutal regime, ending UN Sanctions, ending genocide, ending UN scandals, upholding UN resolutions, ending AQ Kahn, attempting to form a democracy in the Middle East, and fighting terrorists. To you, it may not be worth it, and that’s fine. To the majority of these soldiers who believe in the cause, it is. Every soldier should be mourned and honored, and not exploited because you hate our President.

Another number: UNICEF reported pre-war that between UN sanctions and Saddam’s brutality, 3000-5000 innocent Iraqis were being killed each month. That’s an estimated 240,000 that would have perished over the last 5 years. Where was the big concern for Iraqis then?

I have no problem with people opposing the war, because there are valid reasons we shouldn’t be there. Unfortunately, it’s blatantly obvious that most protesters are not concerned about human life, but with a political agenda.

For those of you who think it's not worth it. You've obviously never seen on the news US soldiers being called liberator by hundreds of Iraqi's civilians, or seen Iraqi soldiers charge through a hail of bullets to save a child in the middle of an ambush, or been invited into an Iraqi home to sip tea by a greatful family, or been called brother by an Iraqi soldier who doesn't speak any English but wants you to know how he feels, or been offered a cold soda on a 120 degree day in a house you mistakenly raided on bad intelligence, and yes raiding a house on bad intell or as some people call it false pretense or lies happens all the time during war and at the beginning of wars. This is the Iraq I know and saw. I for one as soldier cannot stand to see that twisted for political reasons. The same Senators that voted for the war had the same intelligence reports as the President. Intead of stating the truth they twist and backpedal in order to save face. They were not to, they all made a mistake. That is mistake that has liberated millions of people. Only our great country can make a mistake that would benifit the world in that way. I am proud to have been part of that mistake. To say Bush went to war for political reasons is flat ignorant. This is a democracy where having the majority support is important in politics. How did that benifit him to go down to a 37% approval rating. That's great political strategy. I wish the world was a better place. I wish I did not have to go to war. I hate getting shot at and I really hate IED's. Most of my buddies that have died were killed by IED's. I don't want to die for my country and I don't want to kill for it either. I don't want to deploy again, but at the same time I don't want to leave the good people of Iraq to the fate of the radicals. They are good people who love each other and their children. They are just like you and me. The soldier's in the Iraqi army are my brothers and their families are my family. Becuause they help fight evil. For those of you who don't believe that the people we fight are evil watch one of the beheading videos. Now compare that to Abu Ghraib. I hope and pray to God that if I'm ever captured they strip me down and stack me in a pyramid instead of cutting my head off with a dull steak knife. This is the reality on the ground. This is what soldiers think about. Bush's biggest mistake has been to not parade the "scandal" at Abu Ghraib around as a great achievement. We're so great that we don't even tolerate hazing our prisoners the way many college fraternities do. Don't get me wrong those reponsoble need to be punished. It was a stupid idiotic and unproffessional act. For those of you who attck the evil corporations shame on you. Haliburtin has been providing facilities and services to the military since Vietnam. I love coming to a Haliburtin chow hall, becuase you know it's going to have some good food. The shower facilities and electricity they provide is highly valued over there. Or do you not think soldiers deserve all the benifits Haliburton provides them. It's nice AC on so you don't pass out from dehydration while you sleeep. Thankyou Haliburtin. You've helped provide me needed comfort in three different countries and four deployments. Blackwater employees I thankyou. You have taken on a tougher job than I would ever want to do and freed up soldiers to do other things. I could not imagine doing what you guys do every day. If you really want to blame a corporation blame the news agencies. They've been propoganist for the terrorsits for years. They painted a picture that is far from the truth. What better than a platform that reaches the entire world that only points out one sides mistakes and never the good they do. All the while saying we need to understand the other point of view. The other point of view is this; they want us dead and their own people oppressed. For those of you that worry about America's credibility. How good will it be when we pull from Iraq and let a full scale slaughter unfold. You think it's bad now just wait until that day comes. Again I say watch a video of one of the beheadings. Now imagine that happening thousands of times and not in a basement but out in the open in a soccer stadium. Or watch a stoning of the "adulterous" women in Afghanistan. All over the Middle East and the word they will see the peope we abandoned. Where will our credibility be then. I've personally warned my Iraqi and Afghan brothers that this day will come. But they continue to fight on dieing and bleeding for their freedom. And people want to compare Bush to Hitler. What ethnic group has he singled out and gassed? Where is the slave labor? And with regards to mistakes. There have been many and far lasting. Compare Bush's mistakes to those of Lincoln or Rooselvelt where thousands were lost in a single day. Our goal should not be to never make a mistake, but to make less mistakes than the enemy. We won WWII becuaes we did exactly that. So far we have been doing the same thing. What do you think Bin Ladens credibility is right now. Two countries in the Middle East are totally out of his control. The whole reason he attacked us was because we had bases in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War. How do you think he feels now that over 200,000 US personal are in two different countries, not to mention coalition forces. His whole plan back fired. Coalition forces. There are some great people there with us. I will not name names but most of the coalition forces are not there to fight. There governments will not allow it for fear of "lower approval ratings" if they recieve caualties. They are there as a token and nothing more(most countires soem are really there to fight). What can you really do with 1,000, 500, 200, 50, 5 soldiers. These are some of the numbers some countires have over there. That's hardly taking it serious. Even though the soldiers may want to their governments are to weak willed. I say make them leave so they stop eating the American fighting man's icecream in the corporate Haliburton chow hall. For the countries that do actually help thankyou. For those of you in an army that won't let you fight I still thankyou for trying. I know your hearts are in the right place. This is one soldiers view. Others come away thinking completely different, but I know for a fact that many feel very similar to the way I do. I remain unanimous because the military world is political also, and it's best not to expose your personal views in public. I ask that you objectively review my opinions.

Thankyou
Unanimous SSG

Seeing how I do patrol the streets in Bagdad, I would like to add a comment. This war was wrong to begin with. Taking Sadam Hussien out of power was the worst possible thing we could have done as a Nation. He maintained a high level of security in his Country. In the area I patrol there used to be one police car that would patrol the streets where as now even with 2 company size elements (200+ men) Iraq's still don't feel secure (and neither do I). As for insurgency or Al-Quadia in Iraq... Sadam would never have tolerated it. I'm not saying he was a angel of course however depending on where you get your numbers somewhere between 60,000-140,000 Iraq's have died since we invaded.So where does that leave us? This war makes no sense to me. The only reason I can figure was oil, a grudge from a father passed to a son, and to try and show the world our capatilistic ways of life. Reguardless, whats done is done and theres no undoing it. Also you have to add in the statistic of that many soldiers over here don't leave the confinements of their F.O.B. never experiencing a true combat enviroment, not saying what their doing is any less important however I assure you their lives are in alot less danger than myself and my comrades who actually go "outside the wire" everyday . As for unanimous SSG I pretty much get where your coming from and I understand that by withdrawing troops we would totally destabilize Iraq (in best case secenrio) and the whole middle east (worst case)... although I don't feel as strongly as you do about the people of Iraq or Haliburton. I once heard it said KBR (kellog brown and Root) is actually a acronym for killing brings riches which isn't so far fetched in my opinion. But it enavadable eventually we will withdraw and the deaths, injury's, money, and time spent over here will all be for not.As for everyone else who dies from other cause in the U.S., its a tragedy but I assure you not all soldiers believe or even understand the cause of being here. I don't hate my Commander in Chief I just don't agree with all the descions he makes, but then I'm not paid too just expected to die for them.

I think Unanimous SSG has it wrong. Halliburton and Blackwater do not provide you with all the support. I DO as do millions of other taxpayers who have thrown money down a black hole in Iraq.

Please thank us joe american taxpayers my friend, not the Halliburtons who are by the way, making great profit from their activities.

We should have gotten bin laden first, then Hussein. Or don't you geniuses in the military get that? Why did all you macho dudes cave in to the demented madness of King George. I hope you and all your brothers in arms come back safely from the huge mistake bush made in attacking the wrong enemy at the wrong time at the wrong place.

Unfortunately, you fine soldiers are the first to pay the steep price of our boy presidents fanaticism.

Unanimous, I was there too ok? Unlike you though I guess I avoided being brainwashed. You said the people we're fighting are evil? That's fine except for the fact that those people, the people who attacked us, were not in Iraq. You call it bad intel that gov george got, I call it lies. Read some man. They had all of the intel right there, they knew what they were telling us was bs. Me and my best friend that went over there with me both said at the very begiining that it was bs. I was enlisted before 9/11. My friend that I just spoke of was killed by an IED because one of the cowards who sent us over there with his 5 deferments, LIED. my friend died for nothing just like all of yours. NOTHING. I really feel bad for you and others who actually still believe people who have looked you dead in your eyes and consistently lied to you for 8 years. I graduated from college so with all due respect I wonder if it's just that the intelligence level is pathetically low or what. Far as gov bush goes that would make sense, people on his same wavelength would believe him. You say we did something noble? Yeah, we destroyed the homes of over 600,000 people not eeven figuring in the deaths. It's really funny to me how we're ALWAYS right. Did you ever think that maybe everyone doesn't WANT to live like we do? That's where education comes in again, some people just don't get it. They have a different culture ok? It is pure arrogance to assume that we can just invade anywhere we want piss on their head and they're gonna thank us for the hat. Don't know where you were, but I talked to plenty of people, learned to speak THEIR language,(college paying off again), and the last thing they were was thankful. The more common theme I got was that we had taken their home from them, they had nowhere to go, they were constantly worried about family members, and the saddest part was they actually think that it's gonna get better. It's not. Just being real. Took these idiots 6 days to get water to New Orleans. Well, it's been 5 YEARS, and they still can't get water in Baghdad. BEST solution is pull out, and let them sort it out. However. I'm sorry. This has been going on for over 600 years, it's gonna be going on after we're all dead. Surely to God, McCain won't get elected and we'll finally be able to start repairing this massive F---up job that these cowards have done on the world. Worst part is, and if everyone did their homework they would know this, is that especially after 9/11, if we had had anyone with a shred of competence in office, we could have made generations worth of progress with Iran and the rest of the region. It's really amazing. And sad.Just remember people, when you see these guys looking into your TV for the next few months, bush and coward 5 deferment dick, that when they're talking, there is around an 85 to 90 percent chance that whatever they're saying is a complete lie, and a 100 percent chance that it's at least partially fabrication. Unless of course bush says I don't know. That would mean he's telling the truth. if you all really love America, please make sure that you DO NOT VOTE FOR MCCAIN. ANOTHER 4 YEARS OF A BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS NOT SOMETHING I THINK WE COULD SURVIVE.America needs all of us, we need to make sure we're there for her.