Operation "Mountain Thrust"

Today, I read that Operation Mountain Thrust is "wrapping up" in Afghanistan. I do not know if the Military considers it a "success" or not. What I do know is that many lives were lost and many people were injured in another occupation that appears to be going badly. After five years of primarily US occupation, Afghanistan is, by our own assessment, a failed state that produces 90% of the worlds heroin and has a government that is in business for itself - not for her people. Women are still forced to cover themselves fully to avoid harrassment from others, children who try to attend school face threats of death along with their families, most of the country still lacks basic health care and most face severe economic depression and threats of daily violence.

My Soldier was involved in "Mountain Thrust." When his task force returns, they will have lost two Soldiers - permanently. Both men were fathers - with six kids between them. In addition, at least three Soldiers have been severely wounded - and although all are expected to make it, rehab will be extensive with no guarantees on the long term prognosis. Several others were wounded with a good chance for a full recovery.

We have heard the violence in Iraq has increased dramatically. The country reports 100 deaths from violent causes each and every day. Many in Iraq and the US believe that Iraq is in a state of civil war. The Iraqi Prime Minister came to the US to ask us to help "secure" Baghdad. As a result, one Battalion has been "extended" for four months, others have been deployed to provide "overlap" coverage, effectively increasing our force by some 15,000 troops.

We have "taken sides" with Israel in her war with Hezbolla and by extension Lebanon. Thus far, many innocent civilians have been killed or displaced as bombs fall and tanks shell cities and villages - on both sides of the border. Iran supplies Hezbolla with arms - we supply Israel with arms and rhetoric.

At home, stressed by deployments and Troops returning with physical and emotional scars, Military Families struggle under the weight of "stay the course" policy. In our own small group, the infant child of one Soldier died while he was deployed, a wife fled due to battering, and parents of Soldiers agonize over the safety of their kids - on the battlefield and here in the U.S. We worry about the future - since we know that even if our Soldier comes home from this deployment unhurt and psychologically intact - he/she is only doing so to prepare to hit the next hot zone in rotation and the cycle of worry will only begin again.

There is an old maxim that states: "Violence begets violence - killing begets only more killing." I do not know the source of this statement - but along with 60% of American voters, I know it to be true. Too bad our leadership doesn't "get it." But then, they are too busy fundraising to keep their jobs to pay much attention.