I was so pleased with this comment of mine to Paul Soglin's Waxing America June 24, 2007 entry, I hope he does not mind if I repost it on my own blog. Soglin's entry, "Stanley Kutler in the Nation: Who's Afraid of History," was commenting on Kutler's June 22nd piece in the Nation - "Who's Afraid of History." Kutler speaks to growing innuendos by our government that the end-game in Iraq is a Cold War-esk occupation of said Iraq by thousands of U.S. soldiers. Of course soldiers stayed in Europe, Korea (still a Cold War presence), Japan, and other stations en masse for over 50 years. Below is my comment on Soglin's blog: 

   With Iraq's best and brightest fleeing the county in droves to places like Syria and Turkey to what is described as quasi-concentration camps (better than staying in Iraq they say), the country is gutted of intellects as well as infrastructure. Talking head media goons who have never been there are now suggesting we pull back and let the Iraqis who are left in the country go at it. Is that not actually what we were basically doing from the first Gulf War to the 2003 invasion? 

   I can't thank the people who control this country (that includes the big sleepy American public) enough for putting us in this conundrum. If we leave Iraq, it is a defeat - the second in my life time. If we try to stay in Iraq for 50 years, the problem is in comparing it to the Cold War template of placing hundreds of thousands of soldiers all over the world (of which I was one.), we did not lose 30 soldiers in combat a week for 50 years in Germany and Korea (exception Viet Nam for a decade). I have written about this forbidden subject. See: Just what is Victory in Iraq; and, Forbidden Iraq Litmus Questions, at http://dailydadio.cooldadiomedia.com.

   If I were an enemy of the United States, I would certainly be taking notes on the tendency of America to get bogged down in these types of Wars - Viet Nam, Iraq. We are sucked in by our leaders as the lazy public shops for shoes, cars, pants, and the latest get-rich scheme. The two inept political parties bicker while our soldiers die. Eventually enough of the average people are affected by combat deaths and casualties that there is an outcry. The two inept political parties bicker some more (there are some different faces by then because some party members periodically have to go to prison). We leave the war zone and claim our allies lost the war. Bravo America!

   Leaving troops in combat in Iraq for 50 years would not only put the onus on our allies ("Iraq can't handle the pressure alone," excuse) but it would also put any future failures on an entire new generation. Blaming the next generation is right out of the Viet Nam construct. The World War II generation got us into "'Nam" and then blamed a great deal of the failures on the Baby Boom that fought it. Bravo "Greatest Generation." Now the Baby Boom can reciprocate that love to the Millennials in the Iraq saga. Bravo "Baby Boom!" Good luck Millennials - we are leaving you a mess. 

   End of my Soglin Blog comment.

   This week's Wisconsin soldier to remember is Captain John F. Kurth, 31, of Columbus. Captain Kurth died Saturday, March 13, 2004 in Tikrit, Iraq. Kurth was one of two soldiers killed by a roadside bomb. John was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. Captain Kurth was the 12th Wisconsin soldier killed in Iraq. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Associated Press, John had been in Iraq less than one month. His unit patrolled roads in and around Tikrit. He had been based in Schweinfurt Germany for the three years prior to his death. His company had been dispatched to Iraq in rotation of forces. The Journal Sentinel also mentioned John went by "Hans," he had played on the 1991 high school championship football team, and had graduated West Point in 1995. Kurth had also served in the 82nd Airborne. Captain Kurth had also served two tours in Kosovo.

   3,557 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring 2003.

   26,129 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring 2003.

   76 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring 2003.

   108 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring 2003.

Soldier of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; and, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.