Reflections on war’s toll

Re “Iraq: 4,000 U.S. military deaths,” March 24

The real anger in the tragedy of the Iraq war will come later when we see the aftermath in the U.S. -- the thousands of maimed young men and women who will have to cope with changed lives. We will see this anger with families that will be going to grave sites to visit their children and spouses instead of visiting offices and newborn nurseries. There will be families that will live emotional lives of creating a “forced approval” for President Bush’s war to justify the loss of their loved ones. The anger will reassert itself in national memory repeatedly at the loss of these young lives and in budgets passed in Congress when we realize what has been squandered: our future.

Jacquelyn

Beauregard Dillman

Newport Beach

Although the number of U.S. troop deaths has varied significantly from month to month over the last five years, another perspective can be seen. The daily average of U.S. troop deaths is about two a day -- seven days a week, week after week, month after month, year after year. We should think of this as we do our part by going to the mall.

James Nelson

Stanton

Reading the articles about the soldiers who were killed in Iraq, I don’t know which emotion was the strongest: sadness because of the incredible waste of young lives, anger that people still say the troops died protecting us or disgust with the Bush administration for insisting that we be there in the first place. Three years ago, I wondered how much more Bush could trash our country. I guess we are finding out. He still has six more months.

Jim Cunningham

Bakersfield

When we honor the 4,000 U.S. military dead, let’s also honor the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed or injured.

Arturo Adame

Redondo Beach

We’re in our sixth year in Iraq, and the best efforts to pound out a dented fender still have not produced a brand new nation. No amount of exploiting our 4,000th military hero killed in Iraq can produce the misconceived effect.

Al Ujcic

San Francisco