I just watched “Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq,” a documentary on HBO. It featured 10 soldiers, men and women, who came home from Iraq severely injured. Some had  both legs amputated, one an arm and a shoulder. Several had two or three limbs severely injured. One lost both eyes. Another had severe brain damage from shrapnel.

The war in Iraq is in its fifth year. Over 3,200 soldiers have died. Over 27,000 have been injured.

I have the deepest respect for young people that have made such terrible sacrifices. It is utterly tragic.

At a conference recently, when discussing this subject, one of the people in the group said that I needed to remember that every American soldier was a volunteer, who knew what the risks were.

I was outraged. Yes, they knew. Yes, they were volunteers. But that does not justify the war. That only makes those of us that want to ignore the pain feel better.

I cannot think of anything to die for in Iraq. I cannot think of anything in Iraq that justifies a young woman of 21 to lose a leg. 

Let’s elect politicians with a conscience and let’s stop sending kids oversees to get hurt and killed.

Please.