Between March 20, 2003 and May 6, 2004, 759 US troops died in Iraq. This is the longest, fiercest, sustained combat Americans have seen in a generation.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died on April 24, in Taji, Iraq, when mortar rounds hit their camp. The four soldiers were assigned to the Army National Guard's 39th Support Battalion, 39th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Hazen, Ark. Killed were:
Capt. Arthur L. Felder, 36, of Louisville, Ark.
Chief Warrant Officer Patrick W. Kordsmeier, 49, of North Little Rock, Ark.
Staff Sgt. Billy J. Orton, 41, of Humnoke, Ark.
Staff Sgt. Stacey C. Brandon, 35, of Hazen, Ark.
At least 433 children have lost a parent and 284 spouses have lost a partner in Iraq.
The bottom gets cut out because of low educational levels, lower mental aptitude scores, poor health, or criminal records. The top pretty much excludes itself.
Of all 535 members of the US House and Senate today, only half a dozen have children in the military (and just one of those is in Iraq).
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Win Without War
