[Vision2020] The Human Toll

[Tom Hansen]

"The notion that we ought to now go to Baghdad and somehow take control of
the country strikes me as an extremely serious one in terms of what we'd
have to do once we got there. You'd probably have to put some new government
in place. It's not clear what kind of government that would be, how long
you'd have to stay. For the U.S. to get involved militarily in determining
the outcome of the struggle over who's going to govern in Iraq strikes me as
a classic definition of a quagmire." - Dick Cheney, 1991 
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Stuff/Cheney_Quagmire.mp3

And Dick Cheney again in 1994
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9a8_1186873756

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"I think Rumsfeld, Cheney, and the president made a big mistake in
justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of
mass destruction." - Gerald R. Ford (July 28, 2004)
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Stuff/Ford_Iraq_Big_Mistake.mp3

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>From the January 14, 2008 edition of the Army Times - 			

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U.S. service members who died while supporting combat operations in Iraq,
confirmed by the Defense Department from December 28, 2007 through January
3, 2008:

Army Pfc. Joshua R. Anderson, 24, of Jordan, Minnesota; assigned to the 6th
Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Army Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; assigned to the
Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley,
Kansas.

Army Spc. James D. Gudridge, 20, of Carthage, New York; assigned to the 4th
Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Army Pfc. Timothy R. Hanson, 23, of Kenosha, Wisconsin; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry
Division, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Army Sgt. Reno S. Lacerna, 44, of Waipahu, Hawaii; assigned to the 87th
Corps Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division,
Fort Stewart, Georgia.
http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3283453.html

Army Pfc. Jason F. Lemke, 30, of West Allis, Wisconsin; assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd
Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan D. Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; assigned to
the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell,
Kentucky.

Navy Petty Officer Second Class Menelek M. Brown, 24, of Roswell, New
Mexico; assigned to the USS Hopper homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

Army Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; assigned to
the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort
Riley, Kansas. 

December 28, 2007 - January 3, 2008
Killed: 9; wounded in action: 49

March 19, 2003 - January 3, 2008 
Killed: 3,896; wounded in action: 28,822

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The following U.S. service members died while supporting combat operations
in Afghanistan, confirmed by the Defense Department from December 28, 2007
through January 3, 2008:

Army Army Pfc. Brian L. Gorham , 21, of Woodburn, Kentucky; assigned to the
1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade
Combat Team, Camp Ederle, Vicenza, Italy.
http://www.militarycity.com/valor/3286104.html

Army Sgt. Shawn F. Hill, 37, of Wellford, South Carolina; assigned to the
178th Engineer Battalion, 218th Infantry Brigade, South Carolina Army
National Guard, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

December 28, 2007 - January 3, 2008
Killed: 2; Wounded in action: 8

Oct. 10, 2001 - January 3, 2008
Killed: 471; Wounded in action: 1,848

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National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Mobilized 
(as of January 2, 2008) 
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2008/d20080102ngr.pdf

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And the beat goes on . . . 

"Bring 'em Home"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Bring_em_home.mp3

"If you love this land of the free 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
Bring them back from overseas 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 

It will make the politicians sad, I know 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
They wanna tangle with their foe 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 

They wanna test their grand theories 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
With the blood of you and me 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 

Now we'll give no more brave young lives 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
For the gleam in someone's eyes 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 

The men will cheer and the boys will shout 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
Yeah and we will all turn out 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 

The church bells will ring with joy 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
To welcome our darlin' girls and boys 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 

We will lift our voice and sound 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home 
Yeah, when Johnny comes marching home 
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home." 

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Pro patria, 

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime." 

-- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.