Afghanistan is the new Iraq which is the new Vietnam

The New York Times has been listing the names of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq for several years now, and has just recently begun including those killed in "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan. Note that so far this month, the death toll in Afghanistan has begun to outpace that in Iraq. As I said earlier, Iraq is George Bush's Vietnam; Afghanistan could turn out to be Barack Obama's (or John McCain's) Iraq.

September 23, 2008

Names of the Dead

The Department of Defense has identified 4,163 American service members who have died since the start of the Iraq war and 595 who have died as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom, which is centered in Afghanistan. It confirmed the deaths of the following Americans this month:

Iraq:

EDWARDS, Corry A., 38, Chief Warrant Officer, Army National Guard; Kennedale, Tex.; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

ESHBAUGH, Daniel M., 43, Sgt., Army National Guard; Norman, Okla.; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

MASON, Anthony L., 37, Staff Sgt., Army National Guard; Springtown, Tex.; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

ORDONEZ, Julio C., 54, First Sgt., Army National Guard; San Antonio; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

RUDOLF, Brady J., 37, Chief Warrant Officer, Army National Guard; Oklahoma City; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

THOMPSON, Michael E., 23, Cpl., Army National Guard; Harrah, Okla.; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

VALLEJO, Robert II, 28, Capt., Army National Guard; Richland Hills, Tex.; 36th Combat Aviation Brigade.

Enduring Freedom:

BELL, Jerome C. Jr., 29, Sgt., Marines; Auburn, N.Y.; First Marine Expeditionary Force.

FARLEY, Brandon W., 30, Staff Sgt., Army; Haworth, Okla.; First Infantry Division.

HARRIS, Joshua W., 21, Sgt., Army National Guard; Romeoville, Ill.; 122nd Field Artillery.

HAYS, Bruce E., 42, Capt., Army National Guard; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Wyoming Joint Forces Headquarters.

NAQVI, Mohsin A., 26, First Lt., Army; Newburgh, N.Y.; 11th Infantry.

RODRIGUEZ, Rodolfo I., 34, Maj., Air Force; El Paso; 86th Construction and Training Squadron.

VAZQUEZ, Jason A., 24, Staff Sgt., Army National Guard; Chicago; 122nd Field Artillery.

WILEY, James L., 46, Lt. Col., Army National Guard; North Bend, Ore.; 27th Brigade Combat Team.