Blackhawk down

Today, 14 U.S. soldiers died when their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed in Iraq. Apparently, the cause of the crash was mechanical failure, not hostile action. It is the worst single incident since January 2005. (The New York Times: "Black Hawk Fails and Crashes, Killing 14 U.S. Soldiers")

Boys everywhere like to play soldier. They want to show that there strong and brave. To learn to become a leader of men, or perhaps to impress the girls. Sometimes playing soldier causes cuts and bruises. But that about it. Boys should grow up and stop playing soldier. In the real world war kills. Another 14 coffins loaded on a C-130. 28 parents, 14 wives and how many children in mourning. Since the start of the war, 3,721 U.S. troops died in Iraq. Tens of thousands got severely wounded and will remember their “tour of duty” in Iraq forever. They didn't die or get maimed to defend “freedom and democracy” nor to help the Iraqi people. They went to a distant land most knew nothing about to topple its government and occupy it. There action caused more than 700,000 Iraqis to die and another 4 million to become refugees. They died to achieve this “glorious” goal. The people of Iraq despise them, the peoples of the world detest them. When the American people is no longer deluded by neocon claptrap, it will also stop to “support the troops”.

Grow up and stop playing soldier. Grown-up men make love...