Five Years

Today, as I’m sure readers already know, is the 5th anniversary of our invasion of Iraq .

I feel like I should say something, but I’m not sure what. Most of the comment about today is coming from the political left – from people for whom today is nothing more than a propaganda opportunity.

I was, still am, and will continue to be a supporter of this war, and of an active foreign policy in general – particularly in the Middle East, even if that means military involvement.

We cannot turn our backs on Iraq – that much should be clear, even to those who opposed the war in the first place. But while Iraq has become a centerpiece, let’s remember that it’s not everything: we are fighting a long-term, global war against elements that would like nothing better than to detonate a nuke in New York, London, Ottawa, Berlin, Jerusalem, Sydney, Rome. We cannot turn our backs on this larger effort.

Seen from that perspective, today isn’t an anniversary any more than October 7, the date our invasion of Afghanistan began; or April 9, the day Saddam's statue fell. This war began well before then. It began before 9/11, and it will go on much longer than our large-scale presence in Iraq .

But I’m still going to take this opportunity to remember all the people serving – both military and civilian - in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere; those who have died; those who have been wounded, physically and psychologically; those who served honorably and returned home whole; and those who have stayed behind while loved ones have gone to serve.

The Journal Sentinel has a nice page devoted to Wisconsin’s Iraq war dead: just click on a picture to get more information about each person.

I just randomly clicked on SPC Bert Hoyer, from Ellsworth, who was killed by a roadside bomb in 2004. There's also a nice article about him here.

I'm going to support the war, and I'm going to make sure I don't forget the cost of the war.