[cripplecreek]

Sad news to be sure, but what is the alternative for iraq? i suspect that they were dying at a much higher rate before the war.

We should never lose our perspective in regaurds to wars and why we fight them.

[oceanview]

every death is tragic, and devasting to the families.

but most americans have lost their perspective. how many men were killed off the first few landing craft at normandy? probably more then the 500+ we have lost in iraq, if you've seen Saving Private Ryan, those men coming off the landing craft were mowed down.

[ShadowDancer]

Sad news to be sure, but what is the alternative for iraq?

I don't know, how about this? They figure it out for themselves. Anyone who believes, really believes, we are going to change the mindset of that culture is deluded. Are there some who want the change? Of course. Are there far more who are so foreign to our political and social ways that will truly inhibit real change there? Of course again. We are not going to change an entire mindset rooted in centuries of belief just because, Gosh, we want to. It's not terrible or unpatriotic to say it. It's just the damned truth.