Yes, they are....

I stumbled across something that I thought I would share.

Fox News Anchor Brit Hume

"Two hundred seventy-seven U.S. soldiers have now died in Iraq, which means that statistically speaking U.S. soldiers have less of a chance of dying from all causes in Iraq than citizens have of being murdered in California, which is roughly the same geographical size. The most recent statistics indicate California has more than 2,300 homicides each year, which means about 6.6 murders each day. Meanwhile, U.S. troops have been in Iraq for 160 days, which means they're incurring about 1.7 deaths, including illness and accidents each day."

August 26, 2003, Brit Hume Fox News


While a single death is a tragedy a thousand or two or ten or one hundred is merely a statistic. Those who went into the military voluntarily (last I checked that was everyone) should have known that there is always a chance of going to war and ending up dead when you join. I would also like to point out that when generals are more worried about public opinion then making sound tactical decisions then our people will die needlessly. Media can criticize all they want but to have a specialist with a PHD in political science on who has never seen war in any way other then through the media is no specialist. There is a dialogue that I think of when ever I get "self righteous" lately from the movie collateral:

VINCENT I didn't throw him, he fell.

MAX What'd he do to you?

VINCENT Nothing. I only met him one time.

MAX Then how can you kill him like that?

VINCENT I should only kill people after I get to know 'em?

Six billion people on the planet and you get bent out of shape 'cause of one fat guy?

MAX Who, who was he?

VINCENT What do you care? Ever hear of Rwanda?

MAX Rwanda. Yeah.

VINCENT Tens of thousands killed before sundown. Nobody's killed people that fast since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Did you bat an eye, Max?


Now I would like everyone to think about this for a minute...I hope that helps put things in perspective. You cannot complain about a war where the dictator kill 300,000 civilians over their belief then complain about us not getting involved in a religious war between two countries who have had the same dispute for 6 decades. Make up your mind and when the cards are played out and you made the wrong decision then man up and admit it and accept the consequences. The consequence of supporting an invasion of Afghanistan was pretty much a tidal wave that will end in the UN occupation of most of the middle east. You supported it in the beginning and to stop now will only make the whole situation worse. Swallow the shit that came along with the sugar and accept it like you did the applause for your decision in the beginning.