My LTTE on the occasion of 2000 US combat dead in Iraq:

[DemoTex]

The haunting realities of President George H.W. Bush’s (41) reference to “a thousand points of light” in his 1989 inaugural speech visit us again. This time the “thousand points of light” are the lost lives of 2000 of America’s finest young men and women. The first of these brave troops died on March 20, 2003. The 1000th Iraq war death occurred on September 7, 2004, and the 2000th needless death was announced today, October 25, 2005. This regiment of the dead – 2000 strong now - haunts those with a soul.

These 2000 lives were lost in a war that happened because of another “thousand points of light,” the constellation of bright shining lies of President George W. Bush (43). Mr. Bush just couldn’t get his war on quick enough. Bush lied; 2000 died.

Then the former-Lieutenant Bush just couldn’t do his vainglorious victory strut on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, under a banner proclaiming “Mission Accomplished,” quick enough (May 1, 2003). Since that day, 1883 US troops have died.

Then President Bush just couldn’t taunt the tenacious enemy quick enough with his macho “Bring ‘em on!” (July 2, 2003). They brought it on, indeed, and 1795 good Americans died.

On December 13, 2003, Saddam Hussein, bedraggled and lousy, was captured in a hidey-hole. The world is a safer place now, we were told. Dover AFB has received 1588 flag-draped coffins from Iraq since that day.

The original reasons justifying this $200-billion war are long-gone, down the rabbit hole as it were. The words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, ringing like a Presbyterian deacon, point out the contradictions between war and the teachings of the Prince of Peace: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed" (President Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 16, 1953).

As a veteran of 250 air combat missions over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, I honor the warrior, but not Mr. Bush’s war. As one who can count the names of many friends on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, I grieve for this regiment of good and brave Americans, lost forever in Iraq.

[jody]

1. "Enlist Today, 2,000 Job Vacancies" n/t

[oneighty]

2. A fine honest letter

Demo Tex

180

[DemoTex]

3. Thanks 180.

I am glad you used the word "honest," because that validates the feeling I put into the letter. There is an abridged version too, for papers with word-count limits. I'll post again if any paper runs it in whole or in part.
Last year I had a similar letter, on the occasion of 1000 US deaths in Iraq, run in the Asheville, NC, Citizen-Times. I actually got hate mail at my mountain house as a result of that piece. Seems that with a name and town (DemoTex - Brevard) they can track you down on Google. I was even sent a certificate inducting me into the "Asshole of the Month Club" by Asheville's infamous "Sonny Boys" (one deranged guy, according to the C-T editorial page editor).

Mac