Drip, drip, drip, drip.....Whooosh....Drip, drip, drip...Repeat

MY CONDOLENCES TO THE AMERICAN FAMILIES AND SERVICE PEOPLE FOR THEIR TRAGIC LOSS....We are asking everyone to say a prayer for the US Navy Seals team and their families. Their helicopter was shot down yesterday in Afghanistan and have lost 30 team members. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE IT ON EVERYONE'S PAGE...Even if its only for an hour. Come on guys! Show your support! I am HONORED to re-post this! Thank you to ALL of OUR Service Men and Women.

I have to admit I did not know about the tragic loss of the US Navy helicopter and the 30 US service members (and 7 Afghani service members) who lost their lives until I saw it referenced in the above "status update" on a friend's Facebook page on Sunday morning. I was out of town and off-line on Saturday. While I am deeply saddened by this tragedy and am appreciative of the numbers of folks I have seen re-posting this message, I can't help but express my equal amount of disappointment that we are not seeing these types of postings every day.

I wonder how many of the folks who have re-posted this message of condolence for the 30 US service members killed in one incident could also tell you that, between July 21st and August 4th, 17 US service members from various branches have also lost their lives in separate incidents in Afghanistan. That would be an average of 5 deaths per week; or one each business day. I wonder how many could tell you that, since George W Bush ordered troops into Afghanistan (some 10 years ago), 1,728 Americans have died in that country; with 1,097 of them dying under President Obama's watch. I wonder if they stop to think that, even with two presidents telling us that "major combat" has ended in that country, some 4,474 Americans have died in Iraq (254 of them under Obama's watch; 58 since "End of Combat"). The last 5 died there in July.

Yes, it is tragically sensational when many people die all at one time; but I can't help but feel how much more tragic it is that it takes something of this magnitude to cause so many to appreciate the actual cost to this country in this new age of American imperialism. It would be refreshing if, on occasion someone would post their condolences to the family of Spc. Mark J. Downer, 23, of Warner Robins, GA; who died Aug. 5, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, or Sgt. Mark A. Cofield, 25, of Colorado Springs, CO; who died July 17 in Baghdad, Iraq. Maybe if more people acknowledged EVERY service member who was making the ultimate sacrifice in the the name of the United States of America, we might be able to bring an end to the folly of these military mis-adventures.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue