3678 American deaths in Iraq. And counting.

Busy morning. Lots to talk about. I decided to do something this morning between coffee mug number one and coffee mug number two that I hadn't done since the debacle in Iraq began. Fortunately for me, I only know one person firsthand who is or was in the military. He's my age, and coincidentally, he left our shared university for basic training very shortly after the first invasion of Iraq took place under the first George Bush. So, I found the website on CNN.com that tracks the deaths in Iraq, and with some hesitancy (thankfully assisted by my slow internet service), I searched the P's for his name.

Cpl. Charles O. Palmer II, 36, from Manteca, California.
Cpl. Cory L. Palmer, 21, from Seaford, Delaware.
Spc. Eric C. Palmer, 21, from Maize, Kansas.
Cpl. Joshua D. Palmer, 24, from Blandinsville, Illinois.

But thankfully, no Douglas Palmer from Pittsburgh.

I haven't had any contact with Doug for a very long time. Not long, in fact, after he had become a proud member of the elite Army Rangers. But I was still glad that his name wasn't on that list.

If you'd like to perform a similar search, just to make sure, about someone that you know or used to know who is or was in the military, this is the place to do it:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2007.08.html

I hope you find the same relieving result that I did.