**Ruth, this is beyond sad. Talk about Vietnam revisited. I get so frustrated because to me Iraq and Afghanistan remains two parrellel stupidities that make us realize over and over that we learned nothing from Vietnam. And, this young family as well as your own sacrifice made me know that noway can we say it is worth it. And, yet our pain seems to be oblivious to the powers that be. I read just today something I already knew but brought it back again. Nixon became the president on the idea that he would get us out of Vietnam. At that time we had about 17000 dead. Four years later, there were 58,000 dead. So much for keeping promises.



You know I feel so sorry for the families who are losing their sons, husbands, uncle, cousin...who ever to this war because they will get a certain amount of sympathy, care, concern and attention to distract from the fact that their loved one is never coming home. But after the pom and circumstances they are going to be alone, very alone and they will be confused as to why no one else cares while they are still during with that pain. That pain will soon turn into anger and eventually they will learn the truth that our government only sees their loved one as an acceptional loss of war and soon people will stop coming around and calling as they need to get back to their own lives, something the family will never be able to do. Yes...when it is suddenly all silent again the realization will set in.....your loved one is gone and no matter how much you wish.....he is not coming back. Then many years from now they will pull out of these countries like they did in Vietnam and you will have to search for a good reason your loved one give their lives to their country. There is no closure in losing loved ones to a death so violent in war.....there is just a very small amount of acceptance. Those of us who appreciate those who have lost their lives or have been wounded or have half their heads still partially at war and partially at home, we are so few that it is hard for them to see us. The glory to sacrificing for a war is short!!

Today I was just talking to my sister how Irag and Afghanistan is a repeat of Vietnam and how our government has learned nothing from it, only the families have. I was also disappointed to see the story of this killed soldier was number four on the news list and it did not even make the ten most read stories. How can we teach others what war is truly like, where is the media when all these soldiers are coming back with missing limbs, post tramatic syndrome and the large suicide rate. Bottom line....how do you make people care!!!
Ruth

And, Ruth as usual, I would like to use them. Afterall, in a sense, that is the eccense of where we are in our country, how do we make people care? Well, let's face it: we can't when less than one percent of our population's making the sacrifices. Sad. Plus, there are many, regardless, don't give a damn for anybody but themselves.

**Ruth's brother was killed in Vietnam