Another Reminder

Once again, my new blogger friend Shirley Heezgay has introduced me to something that I had to add to ARE YOU THERE, BLOG?

It's a counter that estimates the number of Iraqi deaths that have occurred due to the U.S. invasion since the beginning of the War in Iraq in March 2003.



As you can see, the current estimated number is One Million Eighty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Thirty-Seven Iraqi deaths.

This information comes from Just Foreign Policy and they state on their site...

"The number is shocking and sobering.

"It is at least 10 times greater than most estimates cited in the US media, yet it is based on a scientific study of violent Iraqi deaths caused by the U.S.-led invasion of March 2003."

As I've said before, I place this information and the information tracking the number of U.S. troops who have lost their lives during the War in Iraq since March 2003 on my blog to remind myself and others that we are indeed at war.

Several people, several families. several parts of this country need no such reminder because they have lost loved ones dear to them - - men and women who gave their lives bravely and courageously for something they believed in with all their hearts: our country and our freedom.

But there are other people, other families, other parts of this country who are moving through our present time more concerned with who was booted off of DANCING WITH THE STARS than the fact that our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers, our sons and daughters are fighting in a war halfway around the world.

Yesterday in Chicago, for instance, the Chicago Sun-Times printed a full-page picture of Alderman Tom Tunney on the front cover, because apparently, the fact that Mr. Tunney was stopped by the police for talking on his cell phone and then made arrangements to have his driver's license returned to him is more important than a war being waged where lives are being lost.

There may not have been any huge or significant breaking news items with regards to the War in Iraq yesterday, but making Alderman Tunney the focus of their newspaper proved once again why the Sun-Times is second-rate newspaper in the Second (or is it third?) City.