Saturday, August 20, 2005

"Like One Long Funeral that Doesn't End"

Those are the words of someone who attended some of the funerals of local marines killed in Iraq.
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/08/20/20050820-C6-00.html&chck=t

WEST CHESTER, Ohio — For days now, this suburb and other Cincinnati-area communities have been dominated by grief and searing images of loss — flag-draped caskets, solemn Marine honor guards, anguished parents and loved ones.

Today, the funeral of Marine Cpl. David Kreuter here will conclude an eight-day series of vigils, memorial services and funerals in southwestern Ohio for the five area Marines killed in an Aug. 3 roadside bombing in Iraq, among 16 Ohio-based Marines killed within a week.

"It’s like one long funeral that doesn’t end," said Peggy Logue of Lebanon, whose son Michael is still in Iraq with the hard-hit Lima Company. "It’s very hard. It’s painful."

And...
"I think everybody supports the troops, but people are talking and wondering what’s going on," said Gale Halsey, who came to the vigil from nearby Cold Springs, Ky. "We just buried five Marines. Every day you watch it on the news. We’re all tired of it. We’ve paid the price."

The defense dept. plans to remain in Iraq for at least four more years. Why?