"Of course, none of the 14 American servicemen killed in Iraq during the first three days of the month survived long enough to salute the visionary brilliance of the PNAC'ers."

Tom - this is one of the most disgusting and offensive uses of dead American servicemen and women to make a 'point' that I've yet seen on this site. Congratulations, Tom, you've managed to set the bar even lower!

Have to disagree with sunbeltjerry - elite policymakers should have their noses rubbed in the charnel consequences of their policy, especially when that policy has led to 200,000-600,000 violent deaths, an unnecessary and aimless war, the destruction of a whole country, American casualties in the tens of thousands and the deep corrosion of the American military, and the relatively quick and global erosion of American interests around the globe. The "bar", here, is open - belly up to it and drink as much blood as you can stand. Put the dead american soldiers on the accounts of those PNAC pinheads - might as well. They feel no guilt, and will never miss a lunch in the elite circles where they move. No conscience, no heart, no brain - perfect D.C. gentry!

If you count "excess mortality" we're probably over a million deaths at this point Roger, and two million Iraqi refugees. There are more appropriate targets for your disgust than Tom Schaller, Jerry.

The joke's on those who didn't get that it really stands for "Project for a New Arab Caliphate"

Gavage-Huskanoy, I don't know what the latest figures are - the figures I've read from the Lancet study are a spread with 601,000 violent deaths in the center, but that doesn't include the deaths of the last six months. However, I'm sure we can both agree that the PNAC did as much as it could to launch the policies leading to the current bloodbath.

I was referring to the study from June of 2006. One year on, I bet we're pushing a million. But yeah, I'm sure we agree otherwise about who bears responsibility for it -- the disgusting Tom Schaller!

With apologies to Greg Gutfeld:

"See, assholes like [Tom Schaller], and the people who agree with him - pretend to feel bad about the death of our troops. But they don't give a fuck. No. They need people to die to make their point. It makes them feel smart, and makes their political enemies feel bad. But by saying troop deaths bother them personally - well, that's just a lie. [Tom Schaller] wants as many troops to die as possible. Because without it, what does he have? Cleary, it's not grace.

SBJ,
Which is more disgusting? Pointing out that American servicemen and women are dying due to the failed policies of rightwing hacks of which you are a true believer or American servicemen and women actually dying due to these failed policies? I'm going with the actual deaths and ignoring your preening, hypocritical moral outrage here.

Sunbeltjerry - you are right - about not giving a fuck - if those who record and bemoan the deaths of the American troops do nothing to achieve a complete withdrawal of those troops from Iraq within the fastest time frame possible. Myself, I've joined the Withdrawal Project in Austin, a group that has just started. The goal of the group is to propagandize for zero American troops in Iraq by January, 2009. Excellent, don't you think?
Plus, it challenges those who often play with the number of Iraqis killed by Saddam - as if they give a fuck. Another excuse for a pointless war. But those who did actually find those murders heartbreaking will surely want to join the Withdrawal Project's aim of changing the American goal in Iraq, while the troops are there, from "winning" to peace.

There will soon be a site set up by the Withdrawal project with further plans for meetings on these issues. Do you want the site address?