Reuters photo of the week.

[Paul E Ester]

Family grieves for soldier who died after six tours of duty


Lesleigh Coyer, 25, of Saginaw, Michigan, lies down in front of the grave of her brother, Ryan Coyer, who served with the U.S. Army in both Iraq and Afghanistan, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on March 11, 2013. Coyer died one year ago.

At 26, Staff Sgt. Ryan Coyer already had a lifetime of accomplishments: four tours to Afghanistan, two tours to Iraq, and being named a member of the elite U.S. Army Rangers.

On Monday, the eve of the one-year anniversary of Coyer’s death, his family gathered at his graveside to commemorate that lifetime of accomplishments, unexpectedly cut short when Coyer died of cardiac arrest.

http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/12/17280866-family-grieves-for-soldier-who-died-after-six-tours-of-duty?lite

Was it his heart that failed him, or his country?

[SheilaT]

1. The human cost of each and every life

is impossible to measure. Staff Sgt Coyer was just one of how many thousand Americans to die directly or indirectly because of the stupid wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of Afghan and Iraqi civilians who have died. For each death there is at least one person who grieves like this.

Remind me again why we need to have soldiers over there?

War is an abomination.

[TinkerTot55]

2. We Know Who The War Criminals Are.

They are covered in the blood of innocents.
When will they pay for their crimes?

Bless the individuals and the families and the communities and the nations who have suffered because of our greed.

[olddots]

3. right you are !

[ReRe]

4. "Never think that war, ....

K&R

... no matter how necessary nor how justified, is not a crime." ~~~ Hemmingway

My heart goes out to that poor young widow.

[oldandhappy]

5. six tours over there??

Does that happen?? I call it murder.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. I hate war. Please end soon !

Last edited Sun Mar 17, 2013, 06:24 AM - Edit history (1)

[uponit7771]

7. +1

[Demo_Chris]

8. Obama could have ended this four years ago. n/t

[lovuian]

9. It is the saddest thing in America ...I have walked the VA cemetary

and I was shocked at how many graves have filled it over the ten years
It was so full they are running out of space ...at Jefferson Barracks
Americans need peace ...we are tired of war ....

the rich men have taken our prized possessions our little lambs
I will never forget Senator Byrd's story of the Little Lamb when he tried to convince Congress
not to go to war in Iraq

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. thanks Lovuian. Looked up Byrd's speech. Couple amazing quotes

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2002-09-13/html/CREC-2002-09-13-pt1-PgS8611.htm

On the Homeland Security Act of 2002

I am from the other side of the street. I am not a pampered brat who
never knew the need for a nickel, never knew the need for anything, had
everything given to me. I do not find any fault with people who are
born lucky. What I am saying is there are many more people like this
man from the other side of the tracks in this country, and there are
many more mothers from that side of the tracks than there are those who
never knew what it was to have to wipe the sweat from their brow for
their daily bread; never had to get their fingernails dirty; never had
to wear tennis shoes in the snow. Those are the people who fight in
wars. They are the people whose sons and daughters die in wars, but
they are not the people who are at the high echelons of Government who
do the voting.

In the second book of Samuel, I remember the story there which is
told of a rich man and a poor man who lived in the same city. The rich
man had huge herds of sheep, cattle, and lambs. The poor man had one
little lamb. The poor man had one little ewe lamb. Everywhere that poor
man went, that little lamb went. That little lamb was the sole
possession the poor man had. When he ate, he fed that little lamb from
his bowl, from his pot, or whatever it might have been. The poor man
cared for that little lamb and it loved him. He shared his food and he
shared his shelter with that little lamb.

Presently, a traveler visited the rich man, and the rich man wanted
to present a feast to the traveler. He wanted to show courtesy and all
of the niceties of being a man of hospitable nature. He wanted to
spread food before the stranger. Did he take from his lambs, his herds?
He had huge herds. He had vast possessions. He had barns in which he
stored the product of the fields. He had vast lands. He had servants.
He was well off. He had many, many lambs.

Did he take one of the lambs from his own herd? No. He took the one
little lamb that the poor man had and served it up, may I say to the
distinguished Senator from Alabama. He served that little lamb, the
only lamb that the poor man had. He didn't ask for it. He just took it.
He took that little lamb from the poor man and served it up to his
guest.

Now, why do I say this? Why do I refer to second Samuel today? There
are many mothers in this land who won't get to vote on this matter.
There are many mothers in this land who have but one little lamb. I
know we have a volunteer military now, and those who volunteer
understand what their responsibilities are. They know they may have to
sacrifice their lives, and they volunteered to do it. Nevertheless,
there are those in the service who are the little lambs of mothers who
are at home at night thinking about their little lambs and praying for
their little lambs.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. Sessions/Byrd Exchange

Mr. BYRD.

Cicero was asked what speech by Demosthenes he liked best;
and he said, the longest.

So it is all right. One can be long winded if he has something to
say. And he may have to say it over and over and over in this
situation.

I say, yes, yes, in answer to the Senator{Sessions], I am for a vote. But I
have to see evidence that requires us to vote now or tomorrow. We have
had this evidence all this while, at least a long while, 3 months or 4
months or 3 years. So why the sudden rush that we have to vote before
the election? I think we should vote after the election so Senators
will not be persuaded or moved one way or the other, because of an
election, as to how they vote. They are voting to send that little lamb
to the slaughter. Should we do that in a hurry? No. I say let's delay.

I have said all I will say in answer to the distinguished Senator,
unless he has another question.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from West Virginia
for his courtesy and his thoughtfulness. I just ask that he consider,
in evaluating his decision, the difficulties it provides for the United
States if we cannot get a vote of support. If we are not for it, let's
say so. If we do not believe and we are not going to fund--which is our
ultimate power, to cut off funds--let's say so, and we get on with
something else.