In these dangerous times, the United States is blessed to have extraordinary and selfless men and women willing to step forward and defend us. These young Americans understand that our cause in Iraq is noble and necessary -- and that the advance of freedom is the calling of our time. They serve far from their families, who make the quiet sacrifices of lonely holidays and empty chairs at the dinner table. They have watched their comrades give their lives to ensure our liberty. We mourn the loss of every fallen American -- and we owe it to them to build a future worthy of their sacrifice.
-- George W. Bush, announcing troops escalation
Everything we do here is on the defense. Any troops increase over here - they will just be more sitting ducks, more targets.
-- Sgt. Ronn Cantu, interviewed from Iraq by Amy Goodman
Bush's big troop escalation has been widely criticized as putting the military at the breaking point. Bush chose the number of troops -- 21,500 -- not because that number is enough, but because they were all that was available. This is Bush's last chance to turn things around. If it fails -- and most people believe it will -- Bush has no more options. We're done. Bush just bought a lottery ticket with his last dollar.
Except it isn't exactly his dollar. People fight this war and people die in it. Lives and minds are destroyed, limbs are lost, families stressed beyond the breaking point...
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Tags: news | politics | war | Bush | Military | history | disaster | morons | neocon | Iraq
