There is no earthly logical reason why the 2000th U.S. soldier killed in Iraq is more tragic than the 1999th or, for that matter, the 1998th. These are miles on your car’s odometer — these are individual people. With families. With friends. And with futures which are no more.
But still, for some reason, "2000" is viewed as a milestone. And zoom, we’ve hit it:
The war in Iraq saw two milestones Tuesday that reflect the country’s path to democracy and its human toll as officials said the referendum on a draft constitution passed and the U.S. military’s death toll reached 2,000.
CNN’s count of U.S. fatalities reflects reports from military sources and includes deaths in Iraq, Kuwait and other units assigned to the Iraq campaign.
Among the latest casualties, an American soldier was killed Saturday by a roadside bomb, and a roadside blast killed two Marines in combat Friday near Amariya in the western Anbar province, according to the U.S. military.
Since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, more than 15,000 American service members have been wounded in the conflict, according to the Defense Department.
What A Piece Of Work Is Man
How noble in reason
How infinite in faculties
In form and moving
How express and admirable.
In action, how like an angel
In apprehension how like a god
The beauty of the world
The paragon of animals
I have of late
but wherefore I know not
lost all my mirth.
This goodly frame
The earth
seems to me a sterile promontory
This most excellent canopy
The air– Look you!
This brave o’erhanging firmament
This majestical roof
Fretted with golden fire.
Why it appears no other thing to me
Than a foul and pestilent congregation
of vapors.
UPDATE: Kevin Drum reports another Iraqi War milestone. According to the WSJ, more than half of all Americans now think that invading Iraq was the wrong thing to do. The raw data is here. Kevin’s chart is at the right.
MOONBAT ALERT UPDATE:
Michelle Malkin links to this moron, who argues the following:
"The 2,000 service members killed in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom is not a milestone. It is an artificial mark on the wall set by individuals or groups with specific agendas and ulterior motives."
No, it’s not "artificial". It’s a real number confirmed by the Department of Defense.
Whether or not it is a significant "milestone" is a subjective opinion. And I suppose the same could be said for the number of terrorist killed, right? Or the number of Iraqis voting?
UPDATE: Billmon says it best, without words:
