Remembering a story from the beginning of the war.

[Guaranteed]

My memory is probably hazy on this because the story came out in probably May or June of 2003. One of our first soldiers killed in the occupation...

It's just the way that he was killed that was so striking to me. He was just a young guy, and it was a hot day so he'd walked over to a street vendor and gotten a soda to drink. He payed for it and then walked back and stood under a tree for some shade, to drink his soda.

Then someone came up behind him and shot him in the head.

I don't know why, but that story destroys me.

I think it's because what he was doing was so human. He wasn't a big, bad soldier with an M-16. He was a kid in a soldier's uniform, who got thirsty, like we all do, and got a soda to drink. He was just trying to enjoy himself, like we all do, trying to get some shade.

I think of that story every once in awhile, and when I get over the sadness of it, I get *so* fucking angry.

That kid should not have been there, but he's dead because that fucker in the White House said he should be.

He was just a kid drinking a soda in the shade.

[uppityperson]

1. Yes, they are just people

Now they are dead. 1853 listed as of now.

[kentuck]

2. I remember that story also....

:(

[Mairead]

3. Just think -- he'd be alive today if he'd chosen not to be part of Bush's

war machine.

When we talk about how they 'have to go', 'have to obey orders' we're saying that they have no option but to play russian roulette. That's crazy.

That kid would be alive today if someone had told him that a spell in prison or on the run is much better than becoming a statistic or a killer.

What are our obligations to those kids?