January 22, 2007

• Um, "wounded US soldiers" might be a slightly more precise designation.
• I think recruiting offices should be required to show Baghdad ER. Whether or not folks still decide to go, they should have at least that level of knowledge of what they're getting into.
• The Invisible Enemy in Iraq
• I agree with Wolof, having perused the latest civilian casualty data. Otherwise a good bracing injection of reality for anyone who still has illusions about what war actually does to human bodies. There's a peace march this Saturday in DC. Hopefully a few plain folks will be expressing views counter to the intentions of Our Fearless Leader.
• Let's not overlook the fact the soldiers are (mostly) innocent victims in all of this too. Yes, we cannot look away from the unforgivable carnage of the innocent Iraqi civilians and they have little access to quality medical care but the horrors suffered by the soldiers are none the less for that. The issue of the wounded soldiers, like the civiian death toll, has also been chronically underreported. Sad to say, having the US acknowledge the cost of the war to its own children is more likely to spur opposition to the war than similar acknowledgements of the toll taken on Iraqi families.
• I agree with kinnakeet, if you can make it to DC this weekend, I would encourage you to make the trip. I spent Saturday in a group meeting with, and questioning, Carl Levin, the Senator from Michigan who is chair of the Armed Services Committee. His answers to questions about Iraq were disappointing to say the least. As one of the leading and most powerful Dems in the Senate he is NOT taking a leadership role in ending this war NOW. More voices need to be heard.
• Insurgents may have new weapon I blame Iran
• NYT, networks offer scant skepticism on Iran claims I'm waitng for Condi's Powerpoint presentation.