CNN.com - General: 3-6 GIs die each week in Iraq - Oct. 2, 2003
This, my friends, is half of the real tragedy. We've got troops over in Iraq trying to defend... something... not really *democracy*, not really *a government*, not really a solid thing either. But they're there, defending, and they're defending it with their lives.
The other half is that this already war-torn country (Iran-Iraq war in the 80s, Gulf War and various bombings in the 90s) is now going to be subjected to both Vietnam-type occupation from the Americans and guerrilla warfare tactics from those opposed to the Americans' occupation. The people that live there, they're going to be suffering for years, whether it's with Americans in the country or not. People will be fighting day in and day out over small issues, over pieces of land, and over small bits of power for the next 10-20 years.
We've created turmoil, we haven't a clue as to how to fix it. Soldiers and civilians are the ones who will pay; and the politicians shrug, squirm, and evade.