5 More Troops Killed West of Baghdad NY Times / AP story

[Botany]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iraq.html

5 U.S. Troops Die West of Baghdad

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 22, 2006
Filed at 9:26 a.m. ET

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Five more American troops have died from combat wounds in western Iraq and Baghdad, the military said Friday, pushing the U.S. death toll since the war began closer to 3,000.

In December, 76 American troops have been killed; at the current rate, the number of U.S. combat deaths this month could meet or exceed the previous monthly record for 2006.

At least 2,964 American troops have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told The Associated Press on Thursday that Iraq was ''worth the investment'' in American lives and dollars and said the U.S. can still win a conflict that has been more difficult than she expected.

[babylonsister]

1. Merry Christmas.

:cry:

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. For all the right wing fabulists, who told such laughable stories

Welcome, you fucking idiots, to the Desert of the Real...

[Botany]

6. I guess our "cake walk" has turned into a meat grinder.

The Desert of the real for sure.


And for every 1 person killed 10 more are wounded, injured or taken ill
to the point that they have to be airlifted out of Iraq.

So that is 50 more troops who are missing limbs, eyes, their mental health,
a functioning immune system, or parts of their brains.

U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 2950
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 4
Total 2954
DoD Confirmation List
Latest Coalition Fatality: Dec 20, 2006

US Non Mortal Casualties: Total 46,880 (wounded in battle, non battlefield injuries, and sick)
# that have needed airlifted out of Iraq 31,493


http://icasualties.org/oif /

I wonder how the holiday is going for bush & Cheney?

[xchrom]

3. merry christmas.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Christmas just got cancelled

for 5 more families.

But I'm sure George and Laura will celebrate another great year.

[acmavm]

7. And not just for this year. For all time. It will NEVER be the same

again.

[Straight Shooter]

5. Hey, Cheney, they're trying to influence reports of an upcoming "surge."

Yes, everyone, I admit that's a stupid remark, about as stupid as Cheney saying the increase in violence before the election was an attempt to influence the election.

I'm just wondering how the bush administration is going to spin this. December is one of the bloodiest months on record in Iraq. We've lost. But with bush at the helm, and Rumsfeld, and Cheney, our troops never had a chance to win. Never. :(

[Botany]

8. Our troops can win every battle and take any objective that they

are ordered to but once they leave the Iraqi fighters just move back in.

Take a town ..... kill 500 Iraqis, have 9 Americans get killed, make God
knows how many people homeless, and then when our troops are ordered
out the "insurgents" or death squads move right back in.

It is like we learned nothing from Vietnam.

[Straight Shooter]

16. The reason the lessons of Vietnam aren't being applied in Iraq ...

... is because bush was drunk and pissing on cars in Alabama parking lots, snorting coke and dodging his duties, instead of fighting in Vietnam. Cheney was screwing Lynne and making a baby for one of his 5 deferments.

Those two are so insulated from reality it's mind-boggling. Neither one of them would have even made it through boot camp. Especially not Little Boots.

Gordon Smith made pretty much the same comment you make. He said the troops are going in, taking an area, driving out the insurgents as they can, then retreating. Next day, they go back and do the same thing. They aren't ordered to "hold" anything and rebuild.

It's maddening. But that's the result of madmen in charge.

[Roland99]

9. Damn them and their little war.

them being the warmongers in D.C.

[tabasco]

10. RIP, Troops.

You died because of a corrupt Commander In Chief, who doesn't really care that you died.

[Ilsa]

11. Dec. is the fifth worst month for mortal casualties since the start

of this Fiasco. The worst was the invasion at almost 8 per day.

[brentspeak]

12. RIP, brave troops.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

13. 24 gala holiday parties being hosted at the White House. "Bring'em on" Chimp celebrates.

We are truly a nation of assholes to allow this monumental hypocrisy to go on without protest demanding the removal of this psychopath and his cabal from our national conscious. We are too busy shopping.

[cwydro]

14. Remember now -

Bush wants us to go shopping.

RIP troops.

[robertpaulsen]

15. Sad. We will surpass the 9/11 death toll before the New Year.

But media coverage of the event will be preempted by Donald and Rosie, or some other MSM distraction.

[Supersedeas]

17. Nothing to see here--feed them more Rosie and Donald

[rodeodance]

18. AP: 5 U.S. Troops Die West of Baghdad

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME

Dec 22, 1:28 PM EST

5 U.S. Troops Die West of Baghdad

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA
Associated Press Writer



BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Insurgent attacks killed five more American troops west of the Iraqi capital, the military said Friday, making December the second deadliest month for U.S. servicemen in 2006.

This month, 76 American troops have died in Iraq, the same number that were killed in April. With nine days remaining in December, the monthly total of U.S. deaths could meet or exceed the death toll of 105 in October.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew back to Washington on Friday to give President George W. Bush his advice on transforming U.S. policy in Iraq after holding three days of talks in the war zone with military and political leaders. Gates was scheduled to see Bush at the mountain retreat of Camp David on Saturday morning.

The White House said Bush would meet his full National Security Council next Thursday during a stay at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. That session was designed to whittle down the options rather than make final decisions, said Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman.

[0007]

19. Start a new God Damn pile, and pile 'em higher

Grass Bush

Pile the bodies high in Austerlitz and Waterloo Iraq
Shovel them under and let me work--
I am the grass; bush; I cover all.

And pile them high in Gettyburg Baghdad
And pile them high in Ypres and Vedum Mossoul and Al Fallaujah

Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?

I am the grass bush.
Let me work.

Carl Sandburg


Support the war - Donate a Son a Daughter
The GOP working for a better America
God Bless America

[dwp6577]

20. back on the table???

Is impeachment back on the table yet?


I've got my "impeach the idiot boy king" sign in my car window.

Imagine if everyone unhappy with our current "leader" put a sign in their car...there would be many signs to enjoy on our commutes to and from work

[TexasLawyer]

21. Merry F%@#- ing Christmas

Dear Lord, how I hate this war. It needs to end NOW!

[Yavin4]

22. The Only Solution: Impeach Bush and Cheney

It's the only way out of this mess. Neither one is willing to listen to reason, and thousands of people are being slaughtered daily because of it.

[seemslikeadream]

23. HOW MANY MORE GEORGIE, HOW MANY MORE?

"I Ain't Marching Anymore"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5pgrKSwFJE

Oh I marched to the battle of New Orleans
At the end of the early British war
The young land started growing
The young blood started flowing
But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I've killed my share of Indians
In a thousand different fights
I was there at the Little Big Horn
I heard many men lying
I saw many more dying
But I ain't marchin' anymore


It's always the old to lead us to the war
It's always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the sabre and the gun
Tell me is it worth it all

For I stole California from the Mexican land
Fought in the bloody Civil War
Yes I even killed my brother
And so many others
And I ain't marchin' anymore

For I marched to the battles of the German trench
In a war that was bound to end all wars
Oh I must have killed a million men
And now they want me back again
But I ain't marchin' anymore

(chorus)

For I flew the final mission in the Japanese sky
Set off the mighty mushroom roar
When I saw the cities burning
I knew that I was learning
That I ain't marchin' anymore

Now the labor leader's screamin' when they close the missile plants,
United Fruit screams at the Cuban shore,
Call it "Peace" or call it "Treason,"
Call it "Love" or call it "Reason,"
But I ain't marchin' any more.



The War is Over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Vekho3xLE

Silent Soldiers on a silver screen
Framed in fantasies and dragged in dream
Unpaid actors of the mystery
The mad director knows that freedom will not make you free
And what's this got to do with me

I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over

Drums are drizzling on a grain of sand
Fading rhythms of a fading land
Prove your courage in the proud parade
Trust your leaders where mistakes are almost never made
And they're afraid that I'm afraid

I'm afraid the war is over
It's over, it's over

Angry artists painting angry signs
Use their vision just to blind the blind
Poisoned players of a grizzly game
One is guilty and the other gets the point to blame
Pardon me if I refrain

I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over

So do your duty, boys, and join with pride
Serve your country in her suicide
Find the flags so you can wave goodbye
But just before the end even treason might be worth a try
This country is to young to die

I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over

One-legged veterans will greet the dawn
And they're whistling marches as they mow the lawn
And the gargoyles only sit and grieve
The gypsy fortune teller told me that we'd been deceived
You only are what you believe

I believe the war is over
It's over, it's over

[0007]

24. Thanks for the beautiful song & the gift of having you here!

Which one is junior and which one is Cheney or Condi? ....

Notre Dame, Gargoyles ..... here in Washington D.C. they're the spooks in the White House

[robertpaulsen]

26. From one Phil Ochs fan to another.

Thank you very much.

:hi:

[rodeodance]

25. REC for the troops

[Az_lefty]

27. little george doesn't care....

he lives in a little bubble in his own little delusional world where reality
doesn't dare interfere.

I pray for their families. My neighbor lost a son last year in Iraq and they still haven't gotten over it (nor will they ever).

You can imagine what I think of that sorry bastard in the WH right now, probably the same thing your thinking.