Waking Up on New Year's Day

2007 starts out for me in pain and anger. My lower back, left hip and thigh are sore and stiff. It's been bothering me for a few days but yesterday was the worst. Moving about is definitely not easy. With some rest and care the pain should pass. The anger is more likely to be permanent.

The 3,000th American died yesterday and today's Washington Post carries articles about the Arlington Section 60 where 300 Iraq dead are buried and a young woman mourning her lost love. Yesterday was an article about women casualties and America's willingess to see its daughters die in war along with its sons. Nothing about any of these stories is unique--the pain and loss is shared by families throught America. And beyond is the immense toll of Iraqi civilitan suffering and death.

Maybe if this death and destruction were serving the nation it would be acceptable but it most certainly is not. Nor is it serving Iraqis beyond the favored elites whose interests and loyalties are to themselves. And even though the nation clearly decided against continued war and occupation, BushCheney is planing to throw more troops into the fire. The grave diggers will be busy in Section 60.

I look at those rows of white stones and see an abomination, the waste of sacrifice and service. The dead served honorably and courageously but BushCheney squandered their sacrifice on lies, deceptions and delusions. The invasion was a lie. The myth of democracy and self determination was a delusion. Now BushCheney is asking service members and their families to invest their lives and loves on a failed policy.

Yeah, it's easy to be angry at all this. I'll put the anger to good use in 2007.