Patricia Johnson: Operation Bring ‘Em On

Every day we open the newspaper, read reports from online news services, or listen to the news on radio or TV and hear about the total number of American soldiers that have been killed in either Iraq or Afghanistan. For some reason our news comes in bits and pieces...

“The deaths of the 10 troops, all on Saturday, raised to nearly 100 the number of Americans killed in combat in April...” (click here)

“US combat toll rises to over 500” (click here)

“Since March 31, at least 99 U.S. soldiers have died in action in Iraq...” (click here)

Often the media will provide a breakdown indicating how many US casualties there were prior to President Bush’s May 1, 2003 speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, versus how many there were after that date. Or, they will provide a breakdown with how many were killed in combat versus how many died under non-hostile circumstances.

When you’re the parent of a 19-year old soldier serving in the Republic of Iraq and you get a knock on the door telling you that your son or daughter is dead, do you really care if they were killed in a hostile or non-hostile environment or if they were killed before or after May 1, 2003?

The Department of Defense is recognizing a total of 4,712 soldiers, plus 2 U.S. DoD civilian casualties in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) for a total of 4,714 U.S. casualties as of 10:00 a.m. EDT, on Friday, April 16, 2004.

- DATA SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Almost 5,000 American troops have already been killed or wounded and there is absolutely no end in sight.

Following are excerpts from the speech given by L. Paul Bremmer, III Administrator Coalition Provisional Authority on August 18, 2004.

“Events of the past two weeks show that Iraq still faces security threats and needs outside help to deal with them. Early this month the foes of democracy overran Iraqi police stations and seized public buildings in several parts of the country. Iraqi forces were unable to stop them.

If former members of the Republican Guards, the mukharabbat, the Fedayeen Saddam and the Moqtada’s militia are to be prevented from shooting their way into power, Iraq’s security forces must have help until they are fully equipped and trained. This is what the Coalition intends to do.

But it is clear that Iraqi forces will not be able, on their own, to deal with these threats by June 30 when an Iraqi government assumes sovereignty.”

Often we have heard people ask whether or not Iraq is becoming a quagmire. The answer to that question is a very definite “NO”. A quagmire is defined as a complicated, awkward or dangerous situation from which escape is difficult.

Iraq is definitely not a quagmire -- it is a full-blown disaster.

ENDS

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