I was moved. Last week I joined a group of people honoring the men, women, and children who have died in the Iraq war. I mention children because we honored not only the Americans who died but also the many more Iraqis of all ages who have died. Even when a war is just, we must always remember its human cost. When a war is unjust, as the Iraq war is, we must not only mourn needless deaths on both sides, but also honor the sacrifice of the brave soldiers who have been betrayed by their leaders.
I arrived at Senator Susan Collins’ Portland office a few hours after the event began. On entering, I noticed a hushed and reverent atmosphere. The office staff worked quietly at their desks. The rest of the office space was filled with activists.
Someone read aloud the name of a US soldier, age 22. Then someone rang a bell once. Then someone else read out-loud the name of an Iraqi and her age. Then the bell was rung. It gently continued like that. Simultaneously, on a large, heavy cloth on the floor, activists knelt in a position of respect, drawing red marks indicating killed Iraqis and black marks indicating killed U.S. or coalition soldiers.
During my turn reading names, I felt a powerful mixture of awe, respect and sadness. It was hard to keep from choking up and still speak clearly. As I read the name of Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, age 24, a special tear fell. The next name was that of an Iraqi child, age 7. More tears. Such pain.
The book I read from showed each person’s picture, name and rank, age at death, unit, home town and state, and details about his death. Visit this same list at www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/ when you want to spend some time with these brave people.
More than 50 people participated in this 7th Reading of the Names. A similar event occurred simultaneously at Senator Snowe’s Portland office. These readings, organized under the Frequent Visitor Program, have been done in the offices of each member of our federal delegation. We are reminding them of the huge cost of this war and pleading with them to demand definitive steps toward ending the occupation of Iraq. We are also asking the senators to hold Town Hall Meetings so they can hear directly from Mainers who are concerned about the financial and human costs of this war.
Congressman Allen held such a meeting in July 2005. Congressman Michaud has scheduled a second public meeting on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m., in the Hutchinson Center Atrium, in Belfast. So far neither Collins nor Snowe has agreed to meet with constituents.
The US cost of this war, as I write, is over $233,934,500,000. Exactly 2,214 Americans have died, with 16,420 wounded in action. Continuing the occupation of Iraq is increasing Mideast instability, fostering terrorism and making us less safe. We should be going after the terrorists who actually attacked us. We should be promoting effective homeland security. We should be dissolving support for terrorism by investing in a Mideast peace process that allows security and self-determination on all sides, and investing in education and economic development worldwide to reduce the desperation of the world’s least fortunate. Instead, we launched a war of choice to install a puppet regime in an oil-rich country, making civil war in Iraq almost inevitable. Our troops deserve better. So does everyone else.
Please ask Sen. Collins to hold a Town Hall Meeting on Iraq (780-3575). If you want to participate in future readings, contact Dud Hendrick (dudhe@verizon.net).
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