So much has been said about the death of soldiers in the Iraq War. There is, however, a fact that seems lost on many people. It is a war. And in war people tend to die. That is quite unfortunate, but it is the course of events. One cannot expect war without a single friendly casualty.
The US news has not, however, failed to repeat the figures of friendly soldiers killed, some 8000 friendly and coalition soldiers have been killed in this war. They do, however, make light the fact of the total number of dead. Some 654,000 people have perished in the entire war. Now, through simple deduction, not all of these deaths are American, nor are they terrorist. The vast mjority of dead, it seems, are civilians. Civilians killed by the war.
It helps no one that the press is simply showing the number of friendly soldiers dead without mentioning the total number of civilians. Hearing only one side of the story tends to give people the wrong impression.
The fact is that soldiers are paid to fight and die. Civilians are the bystandards that are killed in the process. Soldiers should not be idolized and treated as heros. Anyone can kill, look at the prisons, they are full of people who kill, where are their medals?

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The Capitalist maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate. Bertrand Russell
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them! ~Albert Einstein

Soldiers go out and put their lives on the line to try and keep people safe. That doesn't sound like a hero to you?
There is no official death toll number for the war, especially for civilians. I would sure like to know where you got 654,000. I'm not saying that's not the number. It could be less, it could be more.

P.S. The American media, most of it (the news portion) is ON your side. They usually mention the worser parts of the war. I don't quite know what you're arguing for here..

I am completely outraged at your statement. Soldiers, who put their lives on the line to protect your country and countries everywhere, shouldn't be honored for dying in battle? They shouldn't be given recognition for saving peoples' lives? That is probably the most ridiculous statement I've ever seen you put on this forum.

And how can you even compare prisoners to soldiers? That is an unfair comparison because they're not one in the same. The murders in the prisons are there because they killed for, more than likely, selfish reasons. They killed illegally for drugs, money, etc. They didn't kill anyone for the good of the country. They killed for themselves. How dare you even make such a comparison.

Who gives a shit if they're "paid to fight and die?" It's a career choice, and they know damn well what they're getting into before they go off to boot camp/training/the war. You don't think that's brave? You think they're just doing it for the financial benefits? My sister is going into the Marines, and she knows what she's getting into. She knows there is a possibility of going to war and dying overseas. But she does it because someone else who was in the military impacted her life. He died in Iraq doing what he loved to do. Doesn't that count for something?

I don't necessarily agree with the reasons why the United States is in Iraq, and no one can change my mind about that. But you also can't change my mind about supporting our troops, no matter where they are or what they're fighting for. Yes, there probably have been a lot of innocent bystanders dying due to the war, and they don't talk about it a lot. That still does not give you a reason to rag on the soldiers for the media's biased ways.

If you think the press favors the pro-war side, you must live under a rock. Every monring when I get the daily paper, I'm bombarded with new reports of troop and civillian deaths. Even though I live in one of the most diehard conservative states in the US. As far as national news, watch CNN. The American Media has never been so anti-war, even compared to Vietnam.

It could be just like the number of 6 million Jews killed by Nazis. Headcounts can account for only about 0.5 million deaths and even if an extreme case of taken for unaccounted deaths it can't cross a million.

You were not alive during the time of Vietnam war and chances are you have never seen the actual news reporting of Mai Lai massacres and rapes of children in an orpahanage.

This death of these soldiers may mean something to you but it does not mean a penny to us. The worth of an American soldier or spy if he dared sedition in our countries would be dog's and vulture's meal.

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Americows: Citizens from a totally clueless fat nation with a messiah complex.

Soldiers are a detriment. They keep people looking only on the side of their government and military. To fight and march and die gloriously for your country may sound nice, but what of the countless others that believe the same? The countless conflicts that have been initiated by this pride and honor and the caring people have for their soldiers. Is it so different from propaganda? Heroes? You call them heroes? Killing civilians, children destroying lives by the millions and you would call them heroes? How many innocents must die before your view is subject to further consideration? A Hundred? A Thousand? A Million?
Self defence from arbitrary attack may always be a neccesity. But the use of the lives of men and women as a tool for political power, for economic dominance and for social conversion is an evil. And the results of such endevours? Death, destruction and an unyielding sense of one-mindedness. The usual we are right, you are wrong. We are good, you are bad. We must win, you must loose.
It may seem evil to cease support for the soldiers that are at this moment fighting, but they are perpetuating an evil, and it must be stopped.

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The Capitalist maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate. Bertrand Russell
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them! ~Albert Einstein

True.
I'm not sure which news you listen to, but you need to stop acting as though EVERY American soldier is trying to cause harm. It's pure bullsh!t and a plain, flat out lie. Most soldiers don't even think we should be in Iraq, but they have to follow orders. Some Iraqis want us over there, others dont. It comes with war. Death and destruction come with war. We are trying to bring peace to the country now, and trying to fix it. Just because you're pissed we're over there, gives you no right to tell us our soldiers are evil.

There are very few incidents of American soldiers deliberately harming civillians when compared to humanitarian operations (i.e.- restoring power, repairing roads, rebuilding schools, etc.). Moreever, the US goverment has NOT sanctioned the deliberate targeting of civillians, unlike those representing Al-Quada who love to kill as many children as possible. And sweetguy, I again have to dissent with you. Most American soldiers support the war. In fact, re-enlistment for the US Marines- who have borne the brunt of hundreds of casulties- have skyrocketed. We've all seen the picture of troops makeing a sign to mock John Kerry and some of us may remember the images of troops flicking of Nanci Peloesi when she came to call. Theese are two of the strongest anti-war Congress members. The outcry of troops against the war is far less than thoose supporting it.

Before someone argues that I've never even meet a soldier, consider this. I have 2 cousins in Iraq and numerous freinds in all branches of the Military. All of them fully support the war, in fact several freinds of mine joined the Marines in full knowledge that they could be shipped over there at any time.

I am not reffering to US soldiers specifically. Not everything is about the US, contrary to your beliefs. I am reffering to soldiering in general. Every soldier, everywhere.

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The Capitalist maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate. Bertrand Russell
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them! ~Albert Einstein

What does that have to do with the Iraq war? Sure there is more than one country involved, but if you're talking about "all" soldiers, that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.
Either way, it's still not right to bash what soldiers do. Not all soliders rape inoccent people during war. Most do their job, whichever country we're talking about.

Well, allowing the prez to move people around like that is not always good. We end up with more wars without wars? I say we withdraw to the green zone and let them deal with themselves. They won't worry about rules of engagement and that other shit that gets troops killed.

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Against logic there is no armor like ignorance.

The Iraq war is a contemporary example of my argument. Soldiers are an obsolete tool of the old world. Mankind would be better off without them.

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The Capitalist maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate. Bertrand Russell
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them! ~Albert Einstein

Mankind will be better off without anything which tends to destroy human lives. But in a practical world it will be suicide is a nation disbands its military, without it no country would have a stand in the world. Economic power comes after the nation has a strong defence. If we didn't have the capability to totally anihilate our agressors (US) we wouldn't today have them owe us at least 2.1 billion dollars.

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Americows: Citizens from a totally clueless fat nation with a messiah complex.

That is the unfortunate part. Complete destruction of the military cannot occur in the near future. But a change of attitude towards the military is of prime importance. We must see soldiers for what they really are. We must realize their destructiveness.

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The Capitalist maxim: The fortunate must not be restrained in the exercise of tyranny over the unfortunate. Bertrand Russell
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them! ~Albert Einstein

You need to remember that destruction is sometimes a neccesary tool. What would have happend if the Allies in WWII had not destoyed Hitler and Japan (both known for cruelty)? True, they may have destroyed themselves at some point, but at what cost?