HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military KIA, Iraq & Afghanistan/Pakistan – December 2008

(9 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

‘GoldStar Moms’ Honor Their Fallen, Christmas 2008

Iraq

There have been 4,537 coalition deaths — 4,221 Americans, 2 Australians, 1 Azerbaijani, 178 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, 1 Czech, 7 Danes, 2 Dutch, 2 Estonians, 1 Fijian, 5 Georgians, 1 Hungarian, 33 Italians, 1 Kazakh, 1 Korean, 3 Latvian, 22 Poles, 3 Romanians, 5 Salvadoran, 4 Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, 2 Thai and 18 Ukrainians — in the war in Iraq as of January 6, 2008, according to a CNN count. { Graphical breakdown of casualties }. The list below is the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen, sailors and Coast Guardsmen whose deaths have been reported by their country’s governments. The list also includes seven employees of the U.S. Defense Department. At least 30,920 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. View casualties in the war in Afghanistan.

Pvt. Benjamin B. Tollefson 22 Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Concord, California Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire in Ghazaliya, Iraq on December 31, 2008

Spc. Tony J. Gonzales 20 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division   Newman, California Killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Sadr City, Iraq, on December 28, 2008

Maj. John P. Pryor 42 1st Medical Detachment, Forward Surgical Team Moorestown, New Jersey Died of wounds suffered when a mortar round impacted near his living quarters in Mosul, Iraq, on December 25, 2008

Master-at-Arms Seaman Apprentice Joshua D. Seitz 19 Naval Security Force, Naval Support Activity Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania Died in Manama, Bahrain, on December 25, 2008. The cause of death is under investigation.

Spc. Stephen M. Okray 21 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division St. Clair Shores, Michigan One of three soldiers who died of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over in southern Iraq on December 24, 2008

Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith 28 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Grand Rapids, Michigan One of three soldiers who died of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over in southern Iraq on December 24, 2008

Spc. Stephen G. Zapasnik 19 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Broken Arrow, Oklahoma  One of three soldiers who died of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over in southern Iraq on December 24, 2008

Lance Cpl. Robert L. Johnson 21 5th Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Combat Logistics Regiment, 1st Marine Logistics Group Central Point, Oregon Died as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq, on December 20, 2008

Lance Cpl. Thomas Reilly Jr. 19 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division London, Kentucky Died while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on December 21, 2008

Staff Sgt. Jonathan W. Dean 25 561st Military Police Company, 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division   Henagar, Alabama Died of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident in Tikrit, Iraq, on December 20, 2008

Pfc. Coleman W. Hinkefent 19 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division Coweta, Oklahoma Died in Hamburg, Germany of a non-combat related illness on December 20, 2008

Staff Sgt. Solomon T. Sam 26 523rd Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command Majuro, Marshall Islands One of two soldiers who died of wounds suffered when a homemade bomb detonated in Mosul, Iraq, on December 4, 2008

Sgt. John J. Savage 26 103rd Engineer Company, 94th Engineer Battalion Weatherford, Texas One of two soldiers who died of wounds suffered when a homemade bomb detonated in Mosul, Iraq, on December 4, 2008

Laying the Wreaths, Christmas 2008

Afghanistan – The Still Forgotten War – and The Third Front Pakistan

There have been 1037 coalition deaths — 626 Americans, 7 Australians, 138 Britons, 106 Canadians, 3 Czech, 21 Danes, 18 Dutch, 3 Estonians, 1 Finn, 23 French, 25 Germans, 2 Hungarian, 12 Italians, 1 Latvian, 1 Lithuanian,  3 Norwegians, 8 Poles, 2 Portuguese, 8 Romanians, 1 South Korean, 25 Spaniards, 2 Swedes — in the war on terror as of December 1, 2008, according to a CNN count. Below are the names of the soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors whose deaths have been reported by their country’s governments. The troops died in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or were part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. At least 2,618 U.S. personnel have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon.

Cpl. Charles P. Gaffney Jr. 42 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division Phoenix, Arizona Killed when his combat outpost received enemy rocket fire in Paktika, Afghanistan, on December 24, 2008

Cpl. Robert C. Deering 33 Commando Logistics Regiment, Royal Marines Solihull, England Killed when he approached a Viking armored personnel carrier after it was involved in an explosion and a second explosion occurred, killing him instantly, west of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 21, 2008

Sgt. Jacob M. Jensen Not available Gardehusarregimentet (Guard Hussar Regiment) Denmark One of three Danish soldiers killed when their armored personnel car struck a roadside bomb north of Gereshk in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 19, 2008

Pvt. Sebastian La Cour Holm Not available Gardehusarregimentet (Guard Hussar Regiment) Denmark One of three Danish soldiers killed when their armored personnel car struck a roadside bomb north of Gereshk in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 19, 2008

Pvt. Benjamin D.S. Rasmussen Not available Gardehusarregimentet (Guard Hussar Regiment) Denmark One of three Danish soldiers killed when their armored personnel car struck a roadside bomb north of Gereshk in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 19, 2008

Sgt. Mark Weijdt 24 12e Infanterie Bataljon Luchtmobiel (12th Air Mobile Infantry Battalion) The Netherlands Killed when he stepped on a roadside bomb during a firegight with Taliban fighters in Baluchi Valley in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, on December 19, 2008

Rifleman Stuart Nash 21 1st Battalion, The Rifles Sydney, Australia Killed in action during a firefight with Taliban forces in Zarghun Kalay, Nad e Ali District in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 17, 2008

Pvt. Colman J. Meadows III 19 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division Senoia, Georgia Died of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Forward Operating Base Ramrod, Afghanistan, on December 16, 2008

Lt. Aaron Lewis 26 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery Essex, England Killed while commanding a gun position during an attack on a British forward operating base near Gereshk in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 15, 2008

Pvt. John Michael Roy Curwin Not available 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia, Canada One of three Canadian soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their armored vehicle during a patrol roughly 8.5 miles (14 km) west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, December 13, 2008

Cpl. Thomas James Hamilton 26 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Upper Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia, Canada One of three Canadian soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their armored vehicle during a patrol roughly 8.5 miles (14 km) west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, December 13, 2008

Pvt. Justin Peter Jones 21 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment  Baie Verte, Newfoundland, Canada One of three Canadian soldiers killed when a roadside bomb detonated near their armored vehicle during a patrol roughly 8.5 miles (14 km) west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, December 13, 2008

Cpl. Marc Birch 26 X-Ray Company, 45 Commando Group, Royal Marines Northampton, England One of three Royal Marines killed as a result of a suspected suicide bomb attack south of Sangin in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 12, 2008

Marine Damian J. Davies 27 Landing Force Support Party, Commando Logistic Regiment, Royal Marines England One of three Royal Marines killed as a result of a suspected suicide bomb attack south of Sangin in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 12, 2008

Lance Cpl. Steven ‘Jamie’ Fellows 26 Whiskey Company, 45 Commando, Royal Marines Sheffield, England Killed when his Jackal patrol vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Sangin in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 12, 2008

Sergeant John H. Manuel 38 Headquarters, X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, Royal Marines North East, England One of three Royal Marines killed as a result of a suspected suicide bomb attack south of Sangin in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 12, 2008

Pvt. Demetrios Diplaros 24 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Toronto, Canada One of three Canadian soldiers killed when their armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb during a joint patrol with Afghan soldiers 9 miles (15 km) west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, on December 5, 2008

Cpl. Mark Robert McLaren 23 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Peterborough, Ontario, Canada  One of three Canadian soldiers killed when their armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb during a joint patrol with Afghan soldiers 9 miles (15 km) west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, on December 5, 2008

Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson 38 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Keswick, Ontario, Canada One of three Canadian soldiers killed when their armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb during a joint patrol with Afghan soldiers 9 miles (15 km) west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, on December 5, 2008

Pvt. Jacob G. Gade 22 Staff & Logistics Company, Jydske Dragonregiment (Jutland Dragoon Regiment) Glamsbjerg, Denmark One of two Danish soldiers killed by separate roadside bombs during combat with Taliban fighters 5 miles (8 km) south of Gereshk in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 4, 2008

Pfc. Dan Gyde 29 Staff & Logistics Company, Jydske Dragonregiment (Jutland Dragoon Regiment) Randers, Denmark One of two Danish soldiers killed by separate roadside bombs during combat with Taliban fighters 5 miles (8 km) south of Gereshk in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 4, 2008

Capt. Robert J. Yllescas 31 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Lincoln, Nebraska Died at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on December 1, 2008, of wounds suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his unit at Combat Outpost Keating, Afghanistan, on October 28.

Civilian Casulties – Iraq

Just Foreign Policy Issues

Over a million {*1,307,319} Iraqis are estimated to have been killed as a result of the U.S.-led invasion and occupation. Learn More and Take Action»

*Estimate, click for explaination

.

To

John Hopkins School of Public Health { October 11, 2006 report } puts the count at 650,000, with a range from 400,000 to 900,000.

Exact Count of Civilian Casulties may never be known, as is the case in every conflict, especially an Invasion by another Country. For it is the Innocent Civilians and those Defending their Countries {of which All would be counted if this land were ever invaded} who suffer the most, during and long after!

Iraq Refugees UNHCR: UNHCR Global Appeal 2008-2009 – Iraq Situation

Filetype: PDF (116k)

All the Deaths, Maimings and Destruction are the Blood on All Our Hands, No One can escape the Guilt!

December 2008, November 2008, October 2008, September 2008, August 2008, July 2008, June 2008, May 2008, April 2008, March 2008, Febuary 2008, January 2008, December 2007, November 2007, October 2007, September 2007, August 2007, July 2007, June 2007, May 2007, April 2007, March 2007, Feb. 2007, Jan. 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003

You can view other Honor Rolls of the Fallen I have posted on my site {links above}, or from the CNN link at top and the other sources that you might use or know about.

As Of January 6th,  2009, There Are 90 Pages w/5 ‘Silent Honor Rolls’ Each, Number Of Casulties Varies With Each ‘Silent Honor Roll’; Many now have numbers in the teens and twenties, click on graphic.

A Nations Security Does Not Mean A Nation Setting An Example Of Creating More Hatreds And Enemies By ‘Wars Of Choice’, Nor By Installing And Supporting Dictators, It Leads By The Example Of Peace And Prevention, Especially As A Democracy, Gaining Friends And Supporters, And Defends With Force Only When All Other Options Are Exhausted

97 percent of U.S. deaths in Iraq have occurred after George W. Bush declared an end to “major combat.”

“Mission Accomplished!”

The Rand Corporation Terrorism Report the press release here, you can get the  full document here or a summary of the research brief here

I’m Still Tortured by What I Saw in Iraq

Matthew Alexander who is writing under a pseudonym for security reasons

I learned in Iraq that the No. 1 reason foreign fighters flocked there to fight were the abuses carried out at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Our policy of torture was directly and swiftly recruiting fighters for al-Qaeda in Iraq. The large majority of suicide bombings in Iraq are still carried out by these foreigners. They are also involved in most of the attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq. It’s no exaggeration to say that at least half of our losses and casualties in that country have come at the hands of foreigners who joined the fray because of our program of detainee abuse. The number of U.S. soldiers who have died because of our torture policy will never be definitively known, but it is fair to say that it is close to the number of lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. How anyone can say that torture keeps Americans safe is beyond me — unless you don’t count American soldiers as Americans.

MSNBC Countdown Video Commentary

Americans, including officers like myself, must fight to protect our values not only from al-Qaeda but also from those within our own country who would erode them. Other interrogators are also speaking out, including some former members of the military, the FBI and the CIA who met last summer to condemn torture and have spoken before Congress — at considerable personal risk.

We’re told that our only options are to persist in carrying out torture or to face another terrorist attack. But there truly is a better way to carry out interrogations — and a way to get out of this false choice between torture and terror.

Those who take some sort of relief in the “We are fighting them over there so we won’t be fighting them here!”, Better Rethink their Future, or rather their Childrens Future!!

“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is,”  – George W. Bush, Texas Gov., 1999

“How anyone can say that torture keeps Americans safe is beyond me — unless you don’t count American soldiers as Americans.”

Matthew Alexander who is writing under a pseudonym for security reasons

” What does it matter to the dead, the orphan, and the homeless whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?”

– Mohandas K. Gandhi

“Patriotism is proud of a country’s virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country’s virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, ‘the greatest,’ but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is.”

Sydney J. Harris

The Failed Policies will Haunt Us and the World for Decades!!