Just after passing the five year mark for this awful war (is there any other kind?) we reach another milestone: the 4000th dead serviceman. The number has been used by both sides. The anti-war people hoping that the enormity of 4000 dead might stir the seemingly complacent populace into joining the with the vocal opponents. The administration once again claiming to feel the pain of the families.
On Nov 12th Sgt. James W McDonald died. The US Military said 37 service members died in November from wounds suffered in Iraq. Sgt. McDonald was not one of the the 37. Because he was wounded in May and had returned to the US and because there was no determination of the exact cause of death, his death is not one of the 4000. His mother Joan McDonald is not so ambiguous about whether John's death was war related.
"If my son was not at the war, he would not be dead, plain and simple. He was a strong and healthy boy. Don't tell me it was unrelated to the war. I will never accept that" said Mrs. McDonald
4000. It's a good round number. It's a milepost. It helps understand the horror of war. And it's a lie. Joan McDonald and hundreds of others know it.
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