Family finds no comfort in honor after soldier slain in Iraq

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Daily News

Juan Alcantara's dream of becoming a U.S. citizen will be fulfilled today.

But it's an empty gesture that comes far too late for the slain Army corporal, killed last month in Iraq, his relatives said yesterday.

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Alcántara's fiancée - furious that her newborn daughter never got to meet her dad - said the citizenship award "just doesn't make any sense."

"How are you going to become a citizen after you're dead?" asked Sayonara Lopez, 22. "Why do you have to wait for a person to die before you give it to them?"

Maria Alcántara, who spoke in Spanish as her daughter translated, said her 22-year-old son would be alive today if his tour in Iraq had ended as originally scheduled in June. Instead, his tour was extended by three months as part of President Bush's surge policy that added troops.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/09/17/2007-09-17_family_finds_no_comfort_in_honor_after_s.html

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Juan with fiancee Sayonara Lopez

Shame - how many like this good young man are in the U.S. military hoping to find a path to citizenship?

[rodeodance]

1. i feel so bad for the families who hav troops over there while wh and congress

play their political games.

[againes654]

2. It makes me sick

that this country believes that you can fight for this country, but we won't give you citizenship. That is bizzare.

I have heard so many stories of brave soldiers that died AFTER their tour was supposed to be up, but was then extended. My mother works with a lady whose son was found dead in his bed 2 weeks after his tour was "extended".

[wilt the stilt]

3. "small price to pay"- John Boner n/t

[Sukie1941]

4. STOP enlisting in George's WAR!

I simply cannot conjure up a whole lot of sympathy for the young people and their supporting families who INSIST on becoming Bush's Warriors.

Why, why, why do they actually enlist in MEMORY of a fallen brother or friend??????