"The Pain That Is Not Your Own"

When he was asked how many Iraqis have died in the war so far, it was bizarre how easily the number just rolled off the lips of the president - 30,000. What a number! I believe that there is a remote possibility that the number is lower then that, but it is reasonable to assume that the number is, in fact, much greater.

I can't help but remember the sanctity of one life: Terry Schiavos. There was a great furor surrounding that one person's death, but is the death of a Moslem or 30,000 0f them somehow less important then the death of an American, a Christian or a Jew?

Does it matter to the dead Iraqis if their country did or did not have weapons of mass destruction?

Does it matter to the dead Iraqis if they had nothing to do with 9/11?

Does it matter to the dead Iraqis that many of them died in the service of their country, protecting it from an invading army?

Does it matter to the dead Iraqis that there are now going to be elections in their country?

How is it possible to equate in any way the death of ALL of the people who have died or have been wounded in this war with what we as a nation or we as a "coalition" have accomplished on behalf of Iraq?

I can only wonder how this must "play" to the soon to be dead or wounded and to their - and our - families.

Is it worth more death and destruction to accomplish what the president expects: VICTORY?

And what IS victory anyway?

Norman Horowitz

Back to Articles