This is how many American soldiers have died in the Iraq war:
To see the number of American soldiers who have been wounded in the Iraq war, look at the above display 23 times.
To see the number of Iraqi civilians who have died in the Iraq war, look at the above display 55 times.
What does this have to do with Ann Coulter nude? Actually, nothing at all. Ann Coulter nude is not at this number, but I wanted this entry to be seen by sexually repressed social conservatives, sado-masochistic liberals, horny College Republicans, and the Parents Television Council.
The fact that I now know your name is Kevin Schmidt does not make you any less anonymous to me. Nor does having a name make you less of a chicken or an idiot when you're more rude and insulting than those you're criticising.
Granted, I'm pretty new to blogging, being an old feller and not keeping up with the times, but what appeals to me about an open forum like this is that it is the Ideas, and not the people that matter. So if someone feels their name is unimportant to the idea or question they're presenting, why should it matter to you?
Oh, and if Anon's question is serious, I can't really answer for Noah, but my feeling from this website is that the creator's and contributers, like myself, love America and are angered and saddened to see it turning from a land of freedom and civil rights and equal opportunity, to one of repression, a theocracy that is trying to bipass all constitutional intentions of balancing power and keeping control with the people. Not to mention, current American policy is giving us a really lousy reputation around the world.
I've been proud to be an American most of my life. Even when we were in Vietnam, ESPECIALLY then, I could look around and see all the people who really cared, who quit their jobs and poured out into the streets in droves, piled into cars and drove to Washington to say, No! This is wrong and you've got to stop!
Anyway, sometimes I hate America right now for the same reasons you'd probably get spit on if you went to France right now, or any UN country, really. Our president is worse than an idiot, he's a zealot (not in the Jewish sense)who wants to force his religious moral code, not only on our "secular" nation, but all over the world. America is arrogant. We defied the UN, we're ignoring the Geneva Convention, we're thumbing our nose at the rest of the world, and they're laughing at us.
One of the problems with your post is that you are quoting that as the number of civilians who have died. When Bush gave the number of 30,000, that was in response to a question about how many citizens had died. There is a difference. Citizens belong to the military and to terrorist organizations as well.
And while 2,100 American soldiers dead is definitely something to mourn, that number is a far cry from the number of soldiers it took to liberate countries in previous wars.
There are roughly 2 soldiers killed per day in Afganistan / Iraq compared to 115 per day who die in car accidents in America or 40 people per day murdered in America. Where is all the compassionate hand wringing for them?
My name is Lluvia Miranda Smith, im a PFC currently stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. its odd what you find searching through the net. now days it doesnt matter where i go or what i do there is always someone who has something to say about this war. ive had people tell me i should die for being involved, and then ive had children come to me, telling me their daddy is at war, and want to know if ive faught the bad guys with him. ive seen the good, the bad, and the ignorent of america. after being here, of course i have my own opinions about this war. but one thing i never do, is question my loyalty to the country i serve. THE COUNTRY!! Not the Man running it. THIS country, MY people, My loved ones. My FUTURE! right or wrong i see your views, as a civilan, and then i see your views through the eyes of a soldier. Because yes there IS a difference. Every soldier wears this uniform with pride, with honor. we dont ask to die, we dont ask to fight, but we CHOOSE to honor a promise we made, not only to ourselves, but to all of you. you have your thoughts and thats fine. but these are mine... I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER. I SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND LIVE THE ARMY VALUES. I WILL ALWAYS PLACE THE MISSION FIRST, I WILL NEVER EXCEPT DEFEAT, I WILL NEVER QUITE, I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN COMMRADE....this is a part of "our" creed. the way we, as soldiers, live our lives. I am not sorry. I live with great pride, and dedication to that creed. and if they are laughing, its not at "us" its at people like you. And the lack of unity you portray to them.
i will leave you with this quote... it was written by a Chaplin (a preacher)
It is the soldier, who salutes the flag; who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag... that allows the protester to burn the flag.
unless youve been here. unless youve seen what we've seen, lived how we've lived. dont judge. and when you make your opinions public...try to show some respect.
This is the fundamental problem, we have people like Lluvia who have been brainwashed into thinking that she's fighting to keep America free, but our freedoms are being eroded by the same guys who started this war: our leaders. I can't believe how many people have died (civilian and military). What a waste...
soldier boy, you fight because you are ordered to do so. you signed up,checked the box that said you are willing to kill. but here is the meat of my discontent with your ridiculous statement. you may fight under the flag, you may die under the flag, but the Constitution gives me the right to burn the flag not some private. get your head out of your ass and get home safe. i am sure a family member somewhere misses and needs you.
Even if you accept the questionable premise that Americans would have lost the rights guaranteed in our founding documents had America not fought wars, to say that "the soldier" gives us those rights is the ultimate in inverted logic. We've heard it all before: "It is the soldier, not the poet, who gives us freedom of speech," and so on. It's actually neither. I also think it's funny that Lluvia begins with "its odd what you find searching through the net," in reference to a page which was almost certainly found while looking for nude pictures of Ann Coulter. If you believe that what you're doing is protecting the patriotism of dissent, Lluvia, then thanks for your well-intentioned, if misguided, service.
well Noah...you too found this site(for whatever reason)^_^thank you...lol...but on a serious note, the link was fowarded to me on myspace because they thought i would find what everyone had to say interesting.and indeed i did. so interesting in fact that i had to put in my two cents!! but as far as everyone elses comments, i still happily serve my country, and wear this uniform with pride. i always will. ive been here a year now and i think ive grown, and i believe i will continue to grow. my opinions have changed in ways, and in some ways have stayed the same. after ready my own posting months later i can see others logic in their responses...and hey, thats cool. point is, everyone has there opinions. and im happy to be in a position to be a part of something I BELIEVE in, whether others believe the same as i do or not. not everyone is givin that opprotunity.
thank you anyway for your comments. im steadly trying to keep an open mind to all of this.
Americans need to stop and smell the roses.I mean all this ranting and raving, over what is principally, a massive ego trip.From my side of the world I see a once powerful nation falling deeply into the rut of un-popular,and until each citizen stops to reflect,you cannot hope to keep up with the rest of the world.Ask us,we know what its like to be isolated from the rest of the world. Dave.South Africa
