Come in! Come in!

"If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a Hope-er, a Pray-er, a Magic Bean buyer; if you're a pretender, come sit by my fire. For we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!" -- Shel Silverstein

Monday, May 25, 2009

We choose to remember



In honor of Brian, the son of my dear friend, John, who leaves this coming weekend for his second tour of Afghanistan.

In honor, as well, of the men and women behind these numbers:


4,300 US military have died in Iraq, 179 of UK,
139 from other countries.
30,000 Iraqi troops killed
697,523 Iraqi civilians killed

Total killed in Iraq: 733,232

11,152 Afghan troops killed
7,589 Afghan civilians killed

Total killed in Afghanistan: 19,886

9 comments:

Kirkepiscatoid said...

I have been holding my breath waiting to see if my cousin is going to have to do a 2nd tour. He's National Guard, so they tend not to recall them as much, but you never know. Meanwhile, one of my friends has her oldest child over there right now on active duty with the Marines. Marine tours tend to only be seven months, but they tend to have to do more tours.

I have at least three of my former medical students over there right now. So, I know where your heart is on this!

Göran Koch-Swahne said...

Prayers for them all!

Utah Savage said...

This day makes me so angry and full of impotent rage. Keep them all home to defend this land. These wars have nothing to do with protecting us. They are invasions. We should not be sending sons and daughters to fight in wars that are not winnable or just. My call is for bringing them home. I'm a peacenik from the sixties.

Elizabeth Kaeton said...

Absolutely, U.S., but since we can't keep 'em all home, can we pray for those who died and those who choose this path?

Elizabeth Kaeton said...

Good to have you back, Göran. It's been a while. Hope you have been well.

Göran Koch-Swahne said...

Yes, dear Elizabeth, I am well.

But throwing junk away for a whole month is taxing... Also, the Telephone company (former State monopoly - when it was cheap and available!) made a mess of my Internet connection. Now it works - at last - since 1 PM yesterday, but my telephon is dead...

walter said...

Our Father, Not even the most astute realpolitik championed by Kissinger would be enough to rationalize colonialism in whatever flag' frame. And yet beloved look again at the video on this post, the flag is moved by the wind, a murmuring wind which we cannot determine from where it comes from and where it is going.

Yes beloved we are already bringing them back home, You and me not driven by anger and rage but by the perfect hatred on which Thurman preached on the psalm 139.

Walter Vitale, Buffalo Shepherd

Being Peace said...

Dear Elizabeth, sorry this is off topic. I just wanted to apologize for any pain or aggravation I might have caused you.

Elizabeth Kaeton said...

Thank you, BP. You can't know how much I appreciate your words.