Sgt. Charles Caldwell was killed Sept. 1, 2003, when the Humvee he was in struck a roadside bomb near Baghdad. Spc. Gabriel Palacios was killed during a mortar attack in Baquba, Iraq on Jan. 21, 2004. Spc. Nicholas Idalski was killed by small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq on June 21.

Never heard of these men? Didn’t hear their names during the nightly news? We didn’t either.

So why did Staff Sgt. George Alexander’s death become a huge story earlier this month when he was killed in Samarra?

Because he was the 2,000th U.S. soldier to die in Iraq, that’s why, and that’s not right.

Every service-member who dies while serving this country overseas deserves the same amount of attention. They are all brave. They all are heroes. Caldwell and Palacios deserve to have their names in print just like Alexander does. What’s the difference between the 26th or the 873rd or the 1,120th soldier killed?

Also, the soldiers who have been wounded deserve their piece of the pie as well.

According to www.cnn.com, at least 15,220 U.S. troops have been wounded in Iraq, many of whom never return to duty. Some come back to their family and friends missing limbs or body parts. Let’s not forget about these individuals.

Let’s also not forget about the soldiers who come back in one piece physically but in many pieces emotionally and psychologically.

Going to war is not easy, folks. Even if you never come under fire or never discharge your weapon with the intent of killing another human being, knowing each and every day that you might wears heavily on you.

There’s also a little thing called survivor’s guilt.

As the casualties continue to mount, you begin to wonder why you were spared, why the roadside bomb didn’t detonate next to your Humvee. The joy of being reunited with your loved ones and once again tasting McDonald’s is replaced by the depression of realizing there are thousands of other soldiers who were not as lucky as you.

So maybe it’s a good thing Staff Sgt. George Alexander’s death received the media attention it did. The more the American people learn about the Iraq war, the better chance there is they’ll realize what a travesty the whole thing is.

Do we have to reach 3,000 deaths? 4,000?

Agree? Disagree? Contact us at

www.northernstar.info.