4,000 Deaths!

Coming out of the Easter weekend, will we learnconsumerism (in it's many forms) to this debt and
anything from what Jesus tried to convey to us? Howwe're facing a financial crisis that could well destroy
many times did Jesus, who became the Christ, tell usthe US$ and American leadership (whatever is left of
to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and notthat) around the world.
become embroiled in violence? But who believes thatThis is insanity!
because much of the church preaches a blood-thirstyWith the war entering its sixth year, President Bush
God who demanded the death of His son. So, thing itpaid tribute Saturday to America's fallen service
not strange that sometime this week we'll be remindedmembers, saying in his weekly radio address that they
on the senseless killings when the American death tollwill "live on in the memory of the nation they helped
of American lives reaches 4,000 in Iraq!defend." Speaking for the Democrats, however, Sen.
A roadside bomb killed three American soldiers northRobert Menendez of New Jersey called on Bush to
of Baghdad on Saturday, pushing the U.S. death toll in"face the reality" in Iraq and "tell us the truth" about the
the five-year conflict to 3,996. Also Saturday, Iraqicost of the conflict as America is struggling with a
authorities reported that a U.S. air strike north of thefaltering economy and mounting casualty tolls.
capital killed six members of a U.S.-backed Sunni groupU.S. officials have pointed to a number of positive
- straining relations with America's new allies in the fightsigns, including a 60 percent drop in violence since Bush
against al-Qaida.ordered 30,000 U.S. reinforcements to Iraq early last
Two Iraqi civilians also died in the roadside bombing,year. Iraqis have also made some limited progress in
which occurred as the Americans were patrolling anpower-sharing deals among rival Shiite, Sunni and
area northwest of the capital, the U.S. military said in aKurdish communities.
statement. Two of the soldiers were killed in the blastBut here's the TRUTH!
and the third died of wounds. And does anyone thinkIf we pull out in 6-12 months, Iraq will revert back to
McCain's visit to Baghdad last week did anything buttheir theocratic mindset for running a nation. If we pull
further embolden the hawks in America?out in five years they will revert back to their
Let's take Jesus and religion out of the equation andtheocratic mindset. If we're there another decade, the
ask ourselves this question. How smart, how sensible,same will happen. Muslims, regardless of ilk, believe in a
how wise is it to respond to the killing of 2,900 of ourtheocratic government, not a democratic one wherein
citizens with the killing of 800,000 of their peoplethere is separation of church and state.
(mostly innocent civilians (babies, children, and nonWe evidently learned nothing from Viet Nam. Will we
violent mothers and grand mothers) with the addedlearn anything from Iraq? Let's face it. Viet Nam and
cost of another 4,000 of our citizens. And the numberIraq would never have been fought were it not for our
of seriously wounded and maimed is in the tens ofPOWER, WEALTH, and ARROGANCE! The state of
thousands.our nation is not good in too many ways: neither
Did I mention the HALF TRILLION in financial resourcesmorally, nor philosophically.
to support the killings? Add our lust and greed forSad indeed!