Stop-loss orders add to the death toll

The warbloggers in their desperation to discredit Cindy Sheehan and the resurrected peace movement that has coalesced around her vigil, often defensively tout the meme that these guys "volunteered" to be in the service. That's true for some and there are those that willingly re-up because they don't want to leave their buddies in a lurch, undermanned and underequipped in the hellhole of Iraq, which is more than can be said for our military brass and especially our president.

The armchair warriors, defending their positions from the safety of their homes, say all the troops are there by choice, but nothing could be further from the truth. The story of this soldier, one of many in similar situations, says it all. Mark Maida, had one month to go to fulfill his service contract when he was sent to Iraq. Under the stop-loss program his service was extended indefinitely, until his whole unit came home. Unfortunately he didn't make it home alive and the Army didn't have the decency or the ability to provide the family with details on his death or even the arrival of his body. They were given only a few hours notice on that. As his Dad said:

"They can take a $1 million missile and put it up some Iraqi's ass and they can't tell me what time my son's coming in?" Ray fumed. "This is why my son's dead, this total incompetence."

Indeed total incompetence hardly covers it - more like deliberate disregard for the human lives of our troops and the pain and suffering of the families of the dead. The Maidas only found out what happened to their son when the WaPo did a piece on his buddy - who talked about Mark's death. It's a compelling story. Read it in full and then tell me whether you believe supporting this "war" means the same as supporting the troops. Exactly opposite I would say.