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sethrakDear Anne Currie and Matt Lowry,
Yes, the current war in Iraq is now five years old, a year longer than the American civil war. Yes, we hit the 4,000 mark in American military casualties over the weekend. This is a sad milestone; my heart goes out to the families and friends of the deceased, and my prayers go to those brave men and women.
But when you have the gall to compare this war's death toll with the Civil War, and neglect to mention just what the death toll for the Civil War was, you are fucking irresponsible and guilty of shoddy journalism.
From wikipedia, admittedly not a very authoritative source at times, but the best I can get at the moment: Union soldiers killed in action, 11,000; total dead, 360,000. Confederate KIAs, 93,000; total dead, 258,000.
That's the total for the entire four years.
The battle of Antietam lasted only one day, and had a combined total of 9860 dead from both sides.
The battle of Gettsyburg was four days, and 7863 soldiers total died.
Going to a different war, one that causes somewhat less controversy on either side of the Mason-Dixon line, the Normandy invasion, lasting roughly six weeks, killed 10,264 members of the US, Canadian, and UK forces.
War is hell. Losing your loved one to war is hell.
But how dare you act as if this war is one of the bloodiest we've ever been involved in?! How dare you?
Pah. Journalists, indeed.
Remind me to drive up to St. Kateri's sometime this week and light a candle for those soldiers and their families. The base and housing chapels don't have devotional candles, as they're meant to be for all faiths.
Yes, the current war in Iraq is now five years old, a year longer than the American civil war. Yes, we hit the 4,000 mark in American military casualties over the weekend. This is a sad milestone; my heart goes out to the families and friends of the deceased, and my prayers go to those brave men and women.
But when you have the gall to compare this war's death toll with the Civil War, and neglect to mention just what the death toll for the Civil War was, you are fucking irresponsible and guilty of shoddy journalism.
From wikipedia, admittedly not a very authoritative source at times, but the best I can get at the moment: Union soldiers killed in action, 11,000; total dead, 360,000. Confederate KIAs, 93,000; total dead, 258,000.
That's the total for the entire four years.
The battle of Antietam lasted only one day, and had a combined total of 9860 dead from both sides.
The battle of Gettsyburg was four days, and 7863 soldiers total died.
Going to a different war, one that causes somewhat less controversy on either side of the Mason-Dixon line, the Normandy invasion, lasting roughly six weeks, killed 10,264 members of the US, Canadian, and UK forces.
War is hell. Losing your loved one to war is hell.
But how dare you act as if this war is one of the bloodiest we've ever been involved in?! How dare you?
Pah. Journalists, indeed.
Remind me to drive up to St. Kateri's sometime this week and light a candle for those soldiers and their families. The base and housing chapels don't have devotional candles, as they're meant to be for all faiths.
