Falling off the radar

As we conclude the "Season of Peace," wars continue to rage across the planet. For Americans, none are more tragic than the war in Iraq.

As of Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007, at least 3,895 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians. At least 3,171 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

This Christmas, there were hundreds of American families with an empty plate at the holiday table that had been filled with a smiling face the year before.

Yet somehow, the war has begun to fall off the radar of the American public.

Perhaps it's because the surge this spring and summer really did cut into insurgent activity so there are fewer "big events" to draw national media attention. There are nights on the national news when no mention of Iraq is made at all these days.

Yet every week we lose 3-5 American soldiers, sometimes more.

Perhaps it's because the American public has given up trying to pressure this administration and Congress, believing that no matter what they tell our elected officials, no matter how much the polls say Amerians oppose the war, it won't make any difference, that there is a certain inertia and lack of political will that is keeping the war going. It's almost as if everyone is waiting for the next administration, which won't take office for slightly more than a year from now, to take the action that is long overdue in a war that has lasted longer than WWII.

And meanwhile, the drain on American lives and treasure continue.

It took less than six months to put the forces in position to attack Iraq more than five years ago. But the Pentagon estimates any sane withdrawal program would take 20 months to accomplish.

The boys won't be home this Christmas, and it's highly unlikely they'll be home by next Christmas as well. In fact, we may be lucky if they're home the Christmas after that.

This war is bankrupting the country (think what we could do with the money we're spending if it were used on our own people).

It is breaking the military, one of the proudest and finest armed forces in the world. And it is costing lives for reasons that no longer seem to make much sense.

So as we prepare to enter 2008, let us all take a brief moment and offer a prayer for our troops, that they be brought home safe and sound as soon as possible, and redouble our efforts to pressure our elected leaders to make the decision sooner than later. Each life lost is a tragedy we can no longer afford.

-- Kelly Everitt