Four More Years?

Today is the 4th anniversary of the start of the very misguided invasion that has come to be known as the Iraq War. It is now longer than World Wars 1 and 2 and has cost 3218 American lives- not to mention the thousands of US injuries. Somewhere around 60,000 Iraqi civilians who were alive on March 19, 2003 are now dead of war-related injuries. Rob and I attended part of a 24 hour vigil in downtown St. Louis yesterday that culminated in a walk to Senator Claire McCaskill's office today to present a petitition asking her to vote against further war funding.

This is the official purpose of the vigil, to let our reps know that we the people are finished with trusting a government that spoonfed us this bogus war. Four years ago, I stood on Art Hill as the first bombs were dropped on Iraq and then we were a small minority. Public sentiment was very pro-war, very rah-rah, post-9/11, go get 'em, BRING IT ON. Those thoughts and cheers have been subsiding ever since, and now we're a vast majority- a very vast majority. Some say as many as 75% of all Americans want this mess to end. Of course we're discussing leaving Iraq in absolute ruins and chaos, but this was expected by the small minority of us standing on Art Hill on 3/20/03. We predicted it. We hoped for better, but why should our expectations have been any different? Bush should not be hailed as anything but a failure, and if he weren't so blissfully oblivious, I'd worry about his future mental health. I have screwed up some things in my life, but not really fundamentally ruined anyone else's sense of security or well-being. Bush has done just that for the entire population of at least one nation and to probably half the families of the US war dead and injured.

And to add insult to injury, care at Walter Reed turns out to be as sufficient as slapping a bandaid on a spinal cord injury.

These are sad times for the Bush administration and they exude- nothing.

Blank, quiet, nothing, nil.

"Stay the course". What course is that? See above.

The most heartbreaking story last night was of Lavena Johnson. Her HS senior picture is above. Her story is here: http://lavenajohnson.blogspot.com/

She died in Iraq, but not in combat. She died a mysterious, tragic death that the army has ruled a suicide. Her family and medical experts beg to differ. Veterans for Peace is trying to help her family uncover the truth. Lavena's case is closed, they have the official report on her death so their investigation and call for a reopening of her case is not premature.

One would think that a year and a half later, with inadequate reports on the death of a vibrant 19-year-old woman, asking for reviewing the case would not be unexpected. This is the Army, though, a veil of silence.

And so it goes with the Marines as well. The obituary that begins, "U.S. Marine Corporal ..., 22, died June 5, 2004, while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps on deployment..." is another open case. This one is in my family. That case is still open, nearly 3 years later.

Is that good enough for anyone who gives their life for their country? Is that good enough for their parents, who are undoubtedly young enough to expect to live a lifetime without their children and without knowing how they lost their lives? 19 and 22 year olds don't just die, not even while deployed in war zones.

But ask how that could happen, and that veil of silence will meet your call.