I know I may get blasted for saying this, but one of the huge mistakes made in the last several years was conservative commentators allowing the left to call historically very light US casualties, particular battlefield deaths, in Iraq a terrible slaughter.
I know is it a very sad thing when anyone dies, but Iraq has been liberated and is on its way to being on its feet with light casualties. But conservative commentators by giving up this ground allowed the anti-American left to turn the public against the war.
Certainly the longer life-expectancy the a country seems to react to deaths more. I fear for civilization that this may mean the winners in the future will often be those seeking to set back civilization.