Today, like every day here in Iraq, I listened to the Commander’s battle update. The briefer calmly and professionally described the day’s events. Somewhere in Iraq, on some forgotten, dusty road, an insurgent fighting an occupying army detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) under a Humvee, killing one American soldier. The briefer fielded a question from the General and moved to the next the item in the update.

Yesterday in America, a fifteen year old’s incredibly rich parents planned the biggest sweet 16 party ever. They will spend over $200,000 dollars on an opulent, extravagant event marking a single year in an otherwise unremarkable life. The soon to be 16 year old girl doesn’t know where Iraq is and doesn’t care. Yesterday, an American soldier died in Iraq.

The day before yesterday, a 35 year old man went shopping for home entertainment equipment. He had the toughest time selecting the correct plasma screen; he can afford the biggest, best of everything. In the end, he has it installed by a specialty store that caters to the very wealthy. He spends about $50,000 dollars on the whole system. He has never met any body serving the in the military nor served himself, but thinks we should “turn the whole place into a parking lot.” The day before yesterday, another American soldier died in Iraq.

Two days ago, some college students had a great kegger! There were tons of babes at the party, the music was awesome. Everybody got totally blitzed, and many missed class the next day. The young men all registered for the draft when they were 18; but even though our nation is at war, they aren’t least bit worried about the draft. It is politically impossible to conscript young people today, so we are told. Two days ago, another American “volunteer” was died in Iraq.

Three days ago, a harried housewife looked all over town for the perfect accessory for her daughter’s upcoming recital. Her numerous chores all of town wore her out, but she still found herself preoccupied. Her oldest son is having trouble in his first year of college, and he has been talking of enlisting in the Army. She is terrified that her child would go off to that horrible war she’s sees all the bad news about on TV. She and her husband decide to give their son more money so he doesn’t have to work part-time; maybe that will help with his studies. Three days ago, another soldier died.

This weekend, millions of Americans will celebrate Independence Day. They will attend parties and barbeques. Families will come together from all across the country to celebrate the big day. Millions of dollars will be spent on fireworks. At public events, there will be some short remarks honoring the people who are serving and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The words will mostly fall on bored ears. While the country is celebrating its own greatness, another American will die in Iraq.

Finally, a week has passed in America. On Wednesday after the holiday, Americans will go back to their normal business. The politicians in Washington D.C. have made sure the sacrifices of the war a borne by the very smallest percentage of Americans. Not even a change in the tax rates to prevent deficits from running out of control, future generations will pay the cost of this war. Many Americans feel strongly about the war one way or another, but they aren’t signing up their children for service or taking the protest to the streets. What can they do? It is in them that we in the military trust to influence our leaders in Washington.

On Wednesday, like every other day here, American servicemen will be in very real danger. Our country is at war. Mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and children will worry about their loved ones in a faraway land. They will all hope their loved one isn’t the one whose luck runs out today. On Wednesday, another soldier will die in President Bush's insane undeclared war in Iraq.