 |
Friday, April 30, 2004
A war gone terribly wrong, and deadly
It wasn't supposed to be this way. April has been the cruelest month.
More American troops have died than in any other single month during the invasion and occupation of Iraq. At mid-day yesterday, one unofficial but reliable count put the total of U.S. troop deaths in Iraq for April at 135. The number of injuries has also peaked.
The danger facing American soldiers is almost as great as during the combat operations at the start of the invasion.
Young and not-so-young service personnel have dedicated themselves to a cause that they believe helps their country and the people of Iraq, in too many cases giving their lives. Although the troops never received the warm welcomes promised by the Bush administration, many Iraqis still believe that the removal of Saddam Hussein has been worthwhile.
Iraqi public opinion, however, is turning strongly against continuing an occupation that began with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's shocking lack of planning for Iraqis' safety, public order and infrastructure. As it ponders the future, the administration faces the immensely difficult task of bringing greater security to the men and women it commands without inflaming more anger among Iraqis.
The administration has warned of greater violence as the handover of some form of sovereignty occurs. Let's hope that is wrong. But without a significant change of direction, the situation in Iraq threatens to become more dangerous and less productive of any good.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
· Police accountability: Improving trust
· Climate change: U.S. not interested
· War powers: A place to start
· Barack Obama shifts positions with reckless abandon
· No light at end of tunnel for Gitmo prisoner
· We need a viable alternative to driving
· Why Canada is the best haven from effects of global warming
· Listening to compromise: FISA law considers compromise
· Healthcare overhaul would be risky for a President Obama
· McCain must move to the center
· Obama, Hillary had no advantage
· Bush travels while economy burns
more
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
