"In Iraq, military works to save memorials; Remembrances of fallen troops dot the country" by Rebecca Santana, Associated Press | May 30, 2010
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — In words etched in stone, painted on concrete barriers, scribbled on hospital walls with magic markers, American troops in Iraq have followed a tradition as old as war itself: honoring their dead.
Now, as the United States prepares to dramatically decrease its military presence in Iraq this summer, American commanders are trying to decide what to do with the vast collection of plaques, street signs, and painted concrete barriers dedicated to the men and women who shed their blood in this desert country.
In the Vietnam War, units brought home their memorabilia and memorials when they rotated out of the country. When the United States closed down bases around Germany at the end of the Cold War, the memorabilia was also preserved.
Now, it’s Iraq’s turn. But preserving some of the memorials could prove a difficult task.
At Forward Operating Base Warrior in Kirkuk, a long row of 22 concrete blast barriers painted black greets visitors at a helicopter landing pad. On it, volunteers last year painted in yellow the names of almost all the 4,400 US service members who died in Iraq — a piece of craftsmanship that evokes the spirit of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington in its honest simplicity.
Yeah, THANKS for the WAR-PROMOTING, AGENDA-PUSHING LIES that led us there, war-criminal AmeriKan MSM!!!
“I tried several times to walk down this wall and read every name, to say it in my head. It really makes an impact, and it’s very hard to do,’’ said Sergeant Kevin McCulley. “There’s over 4,000 names on this wall, fathers, sons, daughters, wives. Everyone on this wall has a family.’’
And so did all the Iraqis that have been killed in the illegal and massive war crime.
The dead Iraqis do not even merit a mention in the piece.
