It was predictable.
The MSM, the left, the Bush haters and the extremists that make-up so much of today's anti-war movement are making sure that the 2,000th person who died in Iraq isn't recognized or identified in any way as someone who's made the ultimate sacrifice, after all, they could care less about the individual, instead they celebrate 2,000 deaths as something that affirms their political point of view and something they hope will be yet another nail in the coffin of an administration they loathe.
MoveOn.Org is simply shameless about it, MSNBC joins in the exploitation with an audio slide show, Cindy Sheehan will Sheehanitize the White House grounds at a die-in in commemoration, and Mike makes my point perfectly by blogging an empty post with merely the number 2000 as it's title while his buddy Robert displays an appalling ignorance of current events, opining that America has "lost the war. I wonder if they know", making the Cox and Forkum cartoon above especially prescient.
Thankfully, there are some level headed people out there who are describing events using logic, reason, wisdom and effect.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Boylan:
"The 2,000 service members killed in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom is not a milestone. It is an artificial mark on the wall set by individuals or groups with specific agendas and ulterior motives. The 2,000th Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine that is killed in action is just as important as the first that died and will be just as important as the last to die in this war against terrorism and to ensure freedom for a people who have not known freedom in over two generations."
Numbers 2,000, 1,999 and 1,997 also strapped up every day to stand on a wall many in America are willing let crumble. And to those who would let that wall crumble, they are just numbers.
They are not men of action and conviction, to the anti-war faction, they are merely numbers of sufficient quotient to send a press releases and hold press events.
I asked Marines all across Al Anbar province two questions:
1. If something goes bad and you die here. What would you think of people who used your death to protest the war.
2. After being here, and knowing what you know, would you still join the Marines/volunteer for this deployment?The answers were invariably the same.
They did not want their death to be used as a prop and they would make the same decision all over again. These young Lance Corporals and Non-Commissioned Officers volunteered to join the Marines, many with the intent of coming to Iraq. And while few would say they like war, they all recognize the necessity of it.
The Marines and soldiers who fight in Iraq are not numbers, but the media and certain groups are treating them as if they were. Number 2,000 was a national treasure, just as number 1,435 was and number 2,038 will be. For what is the value of a man who will fight a war for others who despise him?
It seems remarkable to me that we could liberate millions of people and help guide them toward Democracy, (in two countries) inspire others in the area to work for Democracy, get Libya to turn over its weapons…with relatively few (though always tragic) losses. Our military lose on average, 500 men and women a year through accidents during training or transport. Even if the loss is not in battle, it is tragic. Today I am sending up a special prayer for all the families of all of our lost and wounded troops, no matter what the circumstances of their deaths - but I’m looking with disgust at those who would exploit them.
Looking with disgust? About as understated as it can get.
UPDATE: Brian Dunn dealt with the ludicrous assertion that we are not winning in Iraq a few days ago. I think it worthy of linking to here today:
Opponents of the war in Iraq like to cite our casualties as proof we are not winning. As we reach 2000 dead in Iraq, many will note that casualties continue to mount and are not declining over time. Therefore, they claim, we are not making progress to end the insurgency. How can we claim we are winning, they say, if we can't seem to make progress?
... remember that while casualties continue, we are on new battlefields. As we atomize the enemy out west and move in Iraqi security forces able to pacify the region against weakened enemy forces, we will finally be able to begin to pull back into a reserve role and to guard against conventional Syrian or Iranian threats. Then our casualties will decline even as Iraqis fight and die to preserve their new democracy.
We will have other tasks to do to help the Iraqis stand on their feet completely before we can pull out of Iraq. The faux press crisis over what it means to be able to fight unaided and the completely ignorant uproar over one or three Iraqi battalions able to fight without any American help at all have nothing to do with when we can begin to draw down combat forces engaged in offensive operations. The day will arrive sooner than such uproars would lead you to believe.
Until then, we are winning. Blathering charges of incompetence to the contrary. How will those charging incompetence explain our victory when even they cannot ignore the reality on the ground?
Blathering charges indeed.
MORE: Matt gives a name, with a picture of his son, to the 2,000th soldier to die. Don't miss this.
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