U.S. Deaths from Enemy Fire at Highest Level Since Vietnam

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0417-02.htm

Published on Saturday, April 17, 2004 by Knight-Ridder

U.S. Deaths from Enemy Fire at Highest Level Since Vietnam

by Drew Brown

WASHINGTON - With fighting in Iraq now at its worst, the number of U.S. troops killed by enemy fire has reached the highest level since the Vietnam War.

The first part of April has been the bloodiest period so far for U.S. troops in Iraq. There were 87 deaths by hostile fire in the first 15 days of this month, more than in the opening two weeks of the invasion, when 82 Americans were killed in action.

"This has been some pretty intense fighting," said David Segal, director of the University of Maryland's Center for Research on Military Organization. "We're looking at what happened during the major battles of Vietnam."

The last time U.S. troops experienced a two-week loss such as this one in Iraq was October 1971, two years before U.S. ground involvement ended in Vietnam.

There are 135,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. Nearly 700 American troops have died since the beginning of the war. As of Friday, 493 had been killed by hostile fire.


..more..

[Amerpie]

1. I can tell

from the organizations in your signature that this story is more than just an interesting news item to you.

Please know that there are others in military families who are with you in the struggle to end this war and to Bring Them Home Now!

I sent you a PM

Amerpie,
Fayetteville, NC

[G_j]

2. actually

I'm not a Veteran, I often work with Veterans for Peace.
I applied as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam war, was turned down, appealed and then essentially (to make a long story short) the draft ended.
...lucky me

I have friends that are Nam Vets who have taught me a lot about that situation through personal accounts. I have great hope that if anyone can help us end wars, it will be Veterans.

[Amerpie]

3. Thanks

Your support is greatly appreciated!

My son is on active duty. He's the consecutive fourth generation to serve in the military.

Check out ncpeacehub.org for more opportunities for North Carolina activism!

[G_j]

4. I also sent you a PM.

keep up the great work! :toast:

ncpeacehub.org is a great website!
here is our local group's site, www.wncpeacecoalition.org

[KharmaTrain]

5. Troops At Highest Danger Level, Too...

Never have our forces been in such a hostile and vulnerable situation. This isn't just Iraq, but as we see today, in Bosnia and in other stations around the world. Our military is over-worked and under-manned...and it's the "grunts" who are paying a terrible price.

Last week I had a cousin graduate from Camp Pendleton...he joined two years ago after 9/11, but was told he would be entering a "training program" upon graduation that would make him a flight mechanic. Hopefully that's the case and he's based on some ship or island far away from the Persian Gulf.

I spoke with him and he's very realistic about the possibilities he will be going to Iraq and still hangs onto the idealism/indoctrination he's been getting about how he'll be "bringing democracy" to those poor people. But I could tell he's not quite sure that's exactly what's going on or how it's turning out. Time will tell.

His mother is very worried...but she plays strong and proud. She's my first cousin and has always been reserved about her feelings. Privately, it's whispered how she feels he was betrayed into joining the Marines and fears for what will happen. All we can do is stay strong and supportive.

I missed Nam by one year, and have known many Vietnam vets...people I admire. One I worked with for 6 years, and am still in contact with, did a 2 year stint in the Green Berets and had some S & D stories that only came out very late at night after several joints and shots of Canadian Club. Ironically, he was a staunch Repugnican until the Iraq War...since, he says he has donated to the Kerry campaign.

It's just a matter of time for the strain of this incursion to take its toll on the nation's finances, resources and emotions. This isn't peacekeeping, this is urban warefare...a videogame for real. How long will the "Red States" take seeing their sons and daughters returning in pine boxes or in several pieces???

[G_j]

6. you are so right

These young people are being used and the reason has absolutely nothing to do with Democracy or freedom. They are being stretched beyond their limits in Iraq. Moral is in the dumpster and even soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress are being sent back. They are not trained to be "peace-keepers" they don't know the language and they have become targets over a policy that is irresponsible and criminal. There will be years of healing required for these soldiers, their families and this country.

btw, I can identify with your account of late night stories, "stories that only came out very late at night after several joints and shots of Canadian Club." A dear friend of mine who I used to share a house with, changed my life forever by opening up to me about his experiences in the wee hours. Many of my own illusions died during these talks and I can never forget that but for fortune, there could have gone I.

[KharmaTrain]

7. Those Are The TRUE Veterans

In so many ways. And I admire these people for the lives they've lived and the burdens they carry. They will tell you how unprepared they were in dealing with the war, and the people/victims of it and how they became victims in a three-way war...the one they were fighting, against their own COs and the military and the folks back home. Unfortunately, this episode is being replayed in a new, more deadly way.

I have an almost 17-year old son and I'm very concerned about this regime getting another four years to plunder. Many of these kids have been virtually traumatized into either blind patriotism or numbness (a vast majority). They have yet to realize that those 100,000 people sitting in that stinkin' desert will need to come home and be replaced. And it's sure not gonna be the Anheiser Bush twins or any Chickenhawk's kid that will be "winning hearts and minds" with an AK-47.