memorial day

regardless of my opinions of the current wars the US is waging, i mourn the loss of life that these wars have brought upon both sides of the conflict.

to describe these losses here is the iraq page stories of fallen soldiers of "operation iraqi freedom" (4630 from the US), stories of fallen soldiers of "operation enduring freedom" in afganistan (684 from the US), a site with a downloadable map for google earth of causalities and the nejm article that approximates 151,000 iraqi causalities (includes civilians)


The Death of a Soldier
by Wallace Stevens

Life contracts and death is expected,
As in a season of autumn.
The soldier falls.

He does not become a three-days personage,
Imposing his separation,
Calling for pomp.

Death is absolute and without memorial,
As in a season of autumn,
When the wind stops,

When the wind stops and, over the heavens,
The clouds go, nevertheless,
In their direction.