12 U.S. troop deaths today. What does it mean to you as you sit in the comfort of your living room?

Question

Do you look at their young faces and in their eyes at the end of the McNeil Lehrer News Hour, the only channel which shows them?

Answer 1

I feel such sorrow and empathy. America MUST get out of the Iraqi war. We are doing absolutely no good there.

Answer 2

At times our soldiers are safer than many of us at home. There are over 16,000 murders a year in the United States, that is 44.5 murders every day. In an article written by Michael Tummillo he asks us to consider this; illegal aliens murdered 12 American citizens daily. The death toll in 2006 is approximately 4,380 Americans murdered by illegal aliens. That's 21,900 murders since September 11, 2001. No matter how you look at it the needless criminal and violent death rate at home far exceeds the tragic deaths of our soldiers. Their death has meaning, they are heroes and they are fighting in the middle east to protect us at home. The least we should be doing at home is to decrease crime in the United States, the murderers, the violent serial murders, child molestation and sexual homicide and rapes. Let's give our troops a better world to come home to. Here is something everyone can work on to help our troops when they do return home; The VA medical centers could not help all the veterans from past wars not much has changed. At least Four billion in necessary emergency funding must be allocated to the VA medical faculties for this fiscal year 2007. Our troops need this to have a chance at a real future. Our politicians all know this is a fact, we the people who elected them must make this necessity a reality for our new young future veterans.

Answer 3

How many troops were killed in car accidents today? You cannot answer that question. McNeil Lehrer do not care if Shiite Law comes to the U.S. but they care 12 defenders of freedom have died.

Something is wrong here!

As I sit in my living room, racked with pain from sitting on the floor of EC-121's and being tossed around the Pacific and Sea of Japan defending your freedom. I am both proud and hurt these men may be forced to have died in vain due to those who do not believe in the right to choose for anyone but themselves.

Answer 4

It means to me that more young Americans are being killed while greedy politicians sit back and play their little games. It makes me sick knowing that so many are willing to give their lives for a war that was never meant to happen and that will never be won because the government doesn't understand what is going on over there. If all of the politicians had a family member fighting over there, do you honestly think we'd still be there? What if Bush's kids were in the military? This whole war is a big mess that needs to be done. Our government needs to make the Iraqi government step up to the plate instead of letting the U.S. hold their hands and do it for them.

Answer 5

I think all the channels should play it all the time. People that don't have a family member in the Military don't know the sacrifices the troops and there families give everyday. I give all the thanks in the world for all the sacrifices that our Men and Women in the Military give for this great country and our freedoms, even the freedom to hate this country. God Bless the Troops

Answer 6

I subscribe to the Army Times so I see their faces every week and also hear about their families. I cry.

My husband is in Iraq and I have had to survive on weeks with no news from him.I hate the saying "No news is good news" but during this "war" it couldn't be more true.

We have lost friends over the past 3 years during different engagements in Iraq and it breaks my heart.

I will continue to cry over the lost lives and pray for the troops who remain.

Answer 7

I served 22 years in the military. I've got a daughter who is a Captain in the Army, a son onboard the USS John Stennis and another son entering his third year in Navy ROTC.

I check daily for the names and obits of our men and women who have been killed. PBS didn't give a hoot about our military until they started getting killed during this war.

Answer 8

I would just like to personally knock Mary W. (your first answerer) for assuming (from her couch) that we Soldiers are "doing absolutely no good" over here. How dare you, Madame. How dare you...

If you ever have the honor of meeting a Soldier in person, look him in his face and tell HIM he did absolutely no good in Iraq. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when that happens.

Seeing the faces (and in my case three of my buddies in body bags in the past three months) feels like it takes years off of my own life. It cannot be described. But I will NEVER be convinced that we aren't doing good things over here. And for those of you who have the nerve to say that, I urge you to get off of your couch, enlist, and come see for yourself. See for yourself the gratitude in a young Iraqis eyes who's father was killed by his own government for talking poorly of Saddam Hussein...or for being a Shia instead of a Sunni.

I will stop before this turns into a soapbox. Just know that seeing the Soldiers (and Marines) who have been killed here (on TV or in person) is heartbreaking. Also, please know that good things are done here daily...but good things don't sell newspapers.

Answer 9

After 911 i tried to go back into the military but they would not allow it since i was discharged in 1993 due to 30% disability, but i guess that is what you would due if you love this country.We have problems but there is no other country like this.

Answer 10

Actually, as I'm sitting in my uniform at drill, wondering when my unit is going to get deployed again and working on my assignments, I feel sad that so many people are dieing in Iraq and anywhere else where violence is taking people from their families and friends.

Answer 11

An average of 15 U.S. lumber jacks die a day in the U.S. The American people don't morn that somebody could have died to get them that plywood or those tooth picks.