I have not kept up

I feel bad about not maintaining the practice of naming each fallen warrior. It is too easy for us to let their sacrifice go unnoticed.

But they are not forgotten.

--the BB

My usual sources are not available - upated

This Week with George Stephanopoulos notes the passings of conductor Erich Kunzel, former Reagan adviser Beryl Sprinkel, retailer Nancy Talbot and former Congressman W.G. Hefner. In addition, the Pentagon released the names of 11 servicemembers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Army SPC Abraham S Wheeler III, 22, of Columbia, SC
Army SSG Jason S Dahlke, 29, of Orlando, FL
Army PFC Eric W Hario, 19, of Monroe, MI
Marine LCpl David R Hall, 31, of Elyria, OH
Army SPC Jonathan D Welch, 19, of Yorba Linda, CA
Army PFC Jordan M Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, ME
Army SPC Tyler R Walshe, 21, of Shasta, CA
Army SSG Todd W Selge, 25, of Burnsville, MN
Army SPC Jordan M Shay, 22, of Salisbury, MA
Navy PO3 Benjamin P Castiglione, 21, of Howell, MI
Marine LCpl Christopher S Baltazar Jr, 19, of San Antonio, TX

Normally, I give the number of total allied servicemembers killed as tallied by iCasualties.org, one of the few organizations dedicated to not forgetting the sacrifices by our military. However, iCasualties.org's servers have crashed and they are seeking donations to defray the cost of new equipment. Iraq Body Count lists 69 Iraqi civilian deaths for this week; 537 deaths (including 21 children) for the entire month of August.

--Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars

Update: I added the link for donations. I just gave because I have used them ever since I began tracking the number of US military casualties and I am grateful to icaualties for their service - and for the prayers that so many of you have offered for the fallen and their families.

For those who sleep

Blues: Robert Cray - Twenty



h/t to Joe Sudbay at Americablog who wrote:

This week, Iraq and Afghanistan were all over the news. A military adviser said it's time to leave Iraq, Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, more troops died in July than in any month that was so far.

Robert Cray's "Twenty" is heartbreaking and powerful song that pays tribute to our soldiers fighting and dying in those wars.

--the BB

4145

Latest Coalition Fatalities

08/20/08
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Lance Cpl. Travis M. Stottlemyer, 20, of Hatfield, Pa., died Aug. 17 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Manama, Bahrain. He was assigned to the 3rd Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Company, Marine Corps Security Forces, Norfolk, Va.

[Source]

08/21/08 forces.gc.ca:
Two Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Sapper Stephan John Stock...with 12 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment from Edmonton, Alberta, and attached to the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia?s Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group.

08/21/08 forces.gc.ca:
Two Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan
Corporal Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden...with 12 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment from Edmonton, Alberta, and attached to the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia?s Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group.

08/21/08 AFP:
Eight troops dead in Afghanistan in 24 hours
Eight international troops including three Poles and three Canadians have been killed in Afghanistan over the last 24 hours, a military source said Thursday.

[Source]

O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of your servants, and grant them an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lest we forget

Iraq:
Latest Coalition Fatalities

08/10/08
MNF: MND-B Soldier, 4 Iraqi citizens killed in Tarmiyah explosions
A Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldier and four Iraqi citizens were killed, and others wounded during a complex attack in the Tarmiyah district, north of Baghdad at approximately 2 p.m. Aug. 10.

08/09/08
MNF: One U.S. Soldier killed, two wounded in IED attack in Baghdad
One U.S. Soldier was killed and two others wounded after an improvised explosive device struck their patrol in Baghdad at approximately 9:30 p.m. Aug. 8. The injured Soldiers were evacuated to a nearby combat hospital in Baghdad.


Afghanistan:
08/10/08
Reuters: Bomb wounds 3 outside Pakistan consulate in Afghanistan
A bicycle bomb outside the Pakistani consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat wounded a police guard and two civilians on Thursday, a Reuters witness said.

08/10/08 :
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty
Petty Officer Second Class Anthony M. Carbullido, 25, of Agat, Guam, died Aug. 8, in Sangatesh, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered when his convoy vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the Naval Hospital Corps...

08/10/08
AP: Afghan official - civilians may be among 11 killed
Airstrikes and clashes north of Kabul have killed 11 people, some of whom might be civilians, Afghan officials said Sunday. In the south, five civilians died when their vehicle hit a mine, police said.

08/10/08
military-world: Taliban attacks near Aussie troops rise
TALIBAN attacks in the Afghan province where Australian troops are serving have more than doubled in the past year, security data obtained by The Sunday Age shows.

08/10/08
KUNA: Roadside bomb kills five civilians
five civilians were killed when their car hit a landmine in Zherai district of the southern Kandahar province on Sunday morning. District police officer Bismillah Khan said the bomb was planted by Taliban to target the NATO...

08/10/08
Reuters: Afghan forces to take over security in Kabul
Afghan government forces are soon to take over responsibility for the security of the capital, Kabul, officials said, in a move that reflects the growing strength of the Afghan army and police

08/10/08
AFP: Australian military says key Taliban commander captured
Australian soldiers have captured a key Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan, the military said Sunday. The Defence Department said that elite Australian troops in Uruzgan had last week taken in Mullah Bari Ghul -- a man they believe...

08/10/08
Quqnoos: Foreigners fighting with Taliban on rise
THE NUMBER of foreign rebels fighting alongside Afghanistan?s homegrown militants is on the rise, the Ministry of Defence says.

08/10/08
AP: Karzai urges military action in Pakistan instead of Afghanistan
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that air trikes carried out in Afghan villages by US and NATO troops are only killing civilians, and that the international community should instead go after terror centers in Pakistan.

08/10/08
LATimes: Pakistan troops withdraw from Taliban stronghold
Pakistani security forces pulled out of a Taliban stronghold near the border with Afghanistan after three days of fierce fighting that left at least eight troops dead and dozens missing, local and military officials said Saturday.

08/10/08
AP: Archaeologists uncover ancient city in Afghanistan
Centuries-old shards of pottery mingle with spent ammunition rounds on a wind-swept mountainside in northern Afghanistan where French archaeologists believe they have found a vast ancient city.

08/09/08 :
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Master Sgt. Danny E. Maybin, 47, of Columbia, S.C, died Aug. 7 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, as the result of a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga.

08/09/08
Reuters: Child killed in insurgent attack
A child was killed and two were wounded when insurgents attacked soldiers from the NATO-led force on Friday in the northeastern province of Kunar, the NATO force said in a statement on Saturday.

08/09/08
dpa: Four Dutch soldiers wounded in Afghan bomb blast
Four Dutch soldiers were wounded in the Afghan province of Uruzghan as their military vehicle hit a bomb planted in the road, the Dutch defence ministry told local media on Saturday.

08/09/08
NDCF: Canadian Soldier Killed in Afghanistan
A Canadian soldier died of his injuries following an engagement involving coalition forces, insurgents and security personnel from a civilian convoy in the Zharey District around 9 a.m. (Kandahar time) today.

08/09/08 f
ocus: U.S. troops kill four Afghan women, child and militants
U.S.-led coalition forces accidentally killed four Afghan women and a child along with several militants during an operation targeting a Taliban insurgent, a U.S. military statement said on Friday, Reuters reported.

08/09/08
Quqnoos: Three brothers die in gas-filled well
THREE brothers have died from asphyxiation after they climbed down a well to fix a water pump, police said. The three brothers entered the disused well on Friday and were soon knocked unconscious by gas that had built up in the shaft...

08/09/08
Reuters: 20 Taliban killed in western Afghanistan
Afghan soldiers backed by international air support killed around 20 Taliban insurgents and wounded 14 more in western Farah province on Friday, the provincial police chief said on Saturday.

08/08/08
AFP: Pentagon seeks to double size of Afghan army
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has endorsed a 17-billion dollar plan to double the size of the Afghan army over five years, the Pentagon said Friday.

08/08/08
IANS: Four women, child killed in Afghan anti-Taliban raid
Four women and one child were killed by US-led coalition forces during an operation in southern Afghanistan, in which several militants were also killed, the military said Friday.
08/08/08 CNN: Afghan children raped with 'impunity,' U.N. official says
The young Afghan girl sits in the center of the room, weeping. Using her hand and her blue scarf to hide her face, she recounts how she was brutally raped by five gunmen.

08/07/08 :
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. Errol M. James, 29, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, died Aug. 4 at Forward Operating Base Torkham, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 527th Military Police Company...

08/07/08
Canwest: Taliban ambushes Canadian soldiers
An improvised explosive device strike about 15 kilometres outside of Canada's Zhari base was reported Thursday morning. Canadian soldiers have reportedly been injured. No details of the injuries have been released.

08/07/08
NATO: Unmanned aircraft crashes in Paktika
An ISAF unmanned aerial vehicle crashed earlier today in Paktika province. he aircraft, a Shadow reconnaissance vehicle, was unarmed and the wreckage has been located. t landed on open ground without making contact with people or property.

08/07/08
FOCUS: Afghan roadside bomb incidents hit four-year peak
Roadside bomb incidents involving U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan hit their highest level in at least four years between April and June, the Pentagon said on Wednesday Reuters.

Lord, in our grief we turn to you.
Are you not the God of love
who opens your ears to all?
Listen to our prayers for your servants
whom you have called out of this world:
lead them to your kingdom of light and peace
and count them among the saints in glory.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
--Order of Christian Funerals

558 - 4125 [Updated with video]

Latest Coalition Fatalities

07/18/08
DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty
Tech. Sgt. Jackie L. Larsen, 37, of Tacoma, Wash., died of natural causes July 17 at Balad Air Base, Iraq. She was assigned to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.

07/18/08
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty
Aviation Boatswain Mate Third Class Petty officer Daniel R. Verbeke, 25, of Exton, Penn., died July 14 in Paoli, Penn. of complications from injuries he suffered in a flight deck accident in December 2005 while serving aboard...



h/t to IGTNT for the video

Never just a number

07/16/08
AP: More US troops may go to Afghanistan this year
Pentagon leaders on Wednesday signaled a surge in U.S. forces in Afghanistan "sooner rather than later" ? a shift that could come later this year as they prepare to cut troop levels in Iraq.

07/16/08 :
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (4 of 4)
The DoD announced today the death of nine soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered when their outpost was attacked by small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades from enemy forces in Wanat

07/16/08 :
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (3 of 4)
1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, of Hawaii,
Sgt. Israel Garcia, 24, of Long Beach, Calif.,
Cpl. Jonathan R. Ayers, 24, of Snellville, Ga.

07/16/08 :
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (2 of 4)
Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, 25, of Seattle, Wash.,
Cpl. Jason D. Hovater, 24, of Clinton, Tenn.,
Cpl. Matthew B. Phillips, 27, of Jasper, Ga.

07/16/08 : DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 4)
Cpl. Pruitt A. Rainey, 22, of Haw River, N.C.
Cpl. Gunnar W. Zwilling, 20, of Florissant, Mo.
Pfc. Sergio S. Abad, 21, of Morganfield, Ky.

07/16/08 AJC: Snellville man dies in Afghanistan
His parents had already begun buying decorations for Jon Ayers' homecoming party. The Army corporal was due to return to Snellville in three weeks. He had but one week remaining on his first tour of Afghanistan.

[Source]

Latest Coalition Fatalities

07/17/08
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Stevenson, 20, of Newton, N.J., died July 13 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force...

07/17/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. David W. Textor, 27, of Roanoke, Va., died Jul 15 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a vehicle incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Wash.

07/16/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Vrooman, 28, of Sioux Falls, S.D., died Jul 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while his unit was conducting combat operations in Kn'an, Iraq.

07/16/08
MNF: MNF-W Marine dies of wounds
A Multi-National Force - West Marine died of wounds he received in action against an enemy force in al-Anbar Province July 14.

Corporal Jason M. Bogar, mentioned above, was the son of a friend of KJ, someone denizens of OCICBW know and care about. We are all linked in the web of life on this planet. I wrote in the comments there that "Though I track the toll on my blog I am aware that they are not numbers, not a single one of them. They are our brothers and sisters, daughters and sons, spouses and partners, fathers and mothers, cousins, friends, neighbors, buds, companions, beloved children of God."

As are all the dead and the living, good or evil or in the vast somewhere in the middle.

Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy on us.

--the BB

544 - 4118

07/11/08
usnews: Afghan Warlords Now Turn Their Guns On U.S. Troops
The war in Afghanistan reached a wrenching milestone this summer: For the second month in a row, U.S. and coalition troop deaths in the country surpassed casualties in Iraq. This is driven in large part...by simple cause and effect.

07/11/08
AFP: British soldiers injured by 'friendly fire' in Afghanistan
A British helicopter mistakenly opened fire on a group of British soldiers in Afghanistan, injuring nine of them, including three seriously, the defence ministry in London has said.

07/11/08
AP: Afghan official - U.S. strike hit wedding party
A U.S. military airstrike this week killed 47 civilians traveling to a wedding, the head of an Afghan government commission investigating the incident said Friday.

07/11/08
alalam: Afghan Blast Kills 2 NATO Soldiers
Two NATO soldiers were killed and one wounded Thursday when a bomb blew up their patrol in eastern Afghanistan, the alliance's International Security Assistance Force said.

07/10/08 : DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. Douglas J. Bull, 29, of Wilkes Barre, Pa., died July 8 at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered in Chow Kay Valley, Afghanistan, when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device during a mounted patrol.

Courtesy of iCasualties: Operation Enduring Freedom


Latest Coalition Fatalities

07/11/08
DoD Announces Change In Status Of Army Soldiers (2 of 2)
Killed were:
Sgt. Alex R. Jimenez, 25 at the time of his capture, of Lawrence, Mass.
Pfc. Byron J. Fouty, 19 at the time of his capture, of Waterford, Mich.

07/11/08
DoD Announces Change In Status Of Army Soldiers (1 of 2)
On July 10, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner positively identified human remains recovered in Iraq July 9 to be those of two soldiers who had been previously listed as "Missing-Captured."

07/10/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. 1st Class Steven J. Chevalier, 35, of Flint, Mich., died July 9 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Samarra, Iraq, when his patrol vehicle was struck by a grenade. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment...

07/10/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. William L. McMillan III, 22, of Lexington, Ky., died July 8 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his patrol was struck by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment...

Courtesy of Iraq Coalition Casualties Count

4115 - 543

Courtesy of OEF iCasualties.org


Latest Coalition Fatalities

07/08/08
MNF: MND-B Soldier attacked by IED
A Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldier died as a result of an improvised explosive device that struck his vehicle west of Baghdad at approximately 9:30 a.m. July 8. The Soldier's name is being withheld pending notification...

07/07/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. 1st Class Anthony L. Woodham, 37, of Rogers, Ark., died on July 5 of injuries suffered in a non-combat incident at Camp Adder, Tallil, Iraq. He was assigned to the 39th Brigade Support Battalion, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team...

Courtesy of Iraq Coalition Casualty Count

I am grateful that I have not had to post many updates to this in the past week. I will not be satisfied until there are no more additions to this count.
--BB

4113

Latest Coalition Fatalities

06/28/08
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (3 of 3)
Cpl. Marcus W. Preudhomme, 23, of North Miami Beach, Fla...assigned to 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii...died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province

06/28/08
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (2 of 3)
Capt. Philip J. Dykeman, 38, of Brockport, N.Y...assigned to 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii...died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province

06/28/08
DoD Identifies Marine Casualties (1 of 3)
Lt. Col. Max A. Galeai, 42, of Pago Pago, American Samoa...assigned to 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii...died June 26 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province

06/28/08 en.apa.az:
Azerbaijani peacekeeper dies in Iraq
Azerbaijani peacekeeper serving in Iraq died. APA’s north bureau reports that 20-year-old Rafael Agayev, who was drafted from Khachmaz in December 2006, died in Iraq some days ago.

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (2 of 2)
Maj. Dwayne M. Kelley, 48, of Willingboro, N.J., who was assigned to the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, Green Bay, Wis...died June 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a bomb blast.

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 2)
Chief Warrant Officer Robert C. Hammett, 39, of Tucson, Ariz., who was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo...died June 24 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from a bomb blast.

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (3 of 3)
Pfc. James M. Yohn, 25, of Highspire, Pa...died June 25 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device on June 24. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment...

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (2 of 3)
Spc. Joel A. Taylor, 20, of Pinetown, N.C... died June 25 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device on June 24. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment...

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 3)
Sgt. Alejandro A. Dominguez, 24, of San Diego, Calif... died June 25 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device on June 24. They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment...

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Pfc. Bryan M. Thomas, 22, of Lake Charles, La., died June 23 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Salman Pak, Iraq, when his patrol encountered small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion...

06/27/08
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Joshua L. Plocica, 20, of Clarksville, Tenn., died June 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment...

Source: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count

Source: iCasualties.org/oef/

"Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you."

This is the terrifying core of the mysterious and dreadful tale of the Akedah, the Binding of Isaac (or as Christians usually call it "the sacrifice of Isaac" though it did not quite get that far).

Intriguingly, it is also the first time the word "love" occurs in the Bible, underscoring the horror of the tale.

In offline correspondence today Jane R and I discussed this passage very briefly, as it is appointed for the Eucharist this weekend and she is preaching tomorrow. I commented that child sacrifice continues today and is sadly common and the chiefest means thereof is war (the second possibly being neglect - e.g., doing nothing about malnutrition and disease because we lack the political will to do so).

Moloch today is, as ever, the egos of old men. And perhaps, nowadays, oil and the evils aggregated around it.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace and rise in glory.

And Godde have mercy on us all.
--the BB