31 More
The following is making the rounds on Facebook, regarding the needless deaths of 31 of our troops in the CH-47 Chinook crash in Afghanistan on Saturday.
31 lost, 31 unwanted visits, 31 doors receive that dreaded knock, 31 families with shattered hearts, 31 pairs of boots lined up with rifles and dog tags and helmets, 31 comrades remembered and grieved for, 31 funeral services, 31 names on newly made grave markers, 31 empty places at the table, 31 whose lives leave a void, 31 souls who gave all in service of our country. Let’s take 31 seconds to re-post this and pause to reflect on such a sacrifice as 31 gone forever.
To be sure, even in peacetime, we can lose troops in horrific accidents like this one. But, since they were in Afghanistan, since they were on a rescue mission, but for the Afghan war, these American fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, would be alive today. And the sad truth is, what did they die for? Yes, they died trying to save others, and that is noble and honorable. But why were they, or we, still in Afghanistan? It is time to leave. It has been time to leave for some time now. We have defeated our enemy there. We cannot afford both continued waste of money and a waste of lives.
You’re right, of course. These men would be alive now had we left when AQ largely fled the country. But you called it an “accident?” Was it one? I thought the helicopter had been shot down. Perhaps I heard wrong.
This is so unbelieveably sad (as are all the deaths from these wars, but the sheer magnitude of this one…).
I was a little pissed off this morning though because they were talking about it on Morning Joe and Joe starts to go into this tirade about how everyday Americans just dont’ care about our soldiers and we’re so busy with our lives and blah blah. and all i could do is scream at the tv “THEN COVER IT MORE ASSHOLES”. Don’t spend 10 minutes talking about the English premiere league and then lecture me for not knowing enough about what’s going on in Afghanistan.
This war would be over if more people realized how awful it is and weren’t so busy focusing on bullshit. Then maybe there would be some actual pressure on our Congress and President to do something. Not that they would, but still…
The cause has not yet been determined. I said it was an accident, because that is what I have heard, but it appears that may be wrong too.
Time to bring them all home!