Father who knows all about war without end

SO there it all was in your issue of Friday, August 21 ... the end of US combat missions in Iraq and the return home of thousands of US soldiers to their families and loved ones.

There will be many scenes of joy and celebration. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers all returning from their tours of duty.

But as your report stated, there are also some numbers that cannot be overlooked: 112,625 Iraqi civilian fatalities; 9,571 Iraqi military and police; $3 trillion dollars (how much is that exactly?); 31,897 wounded US soldiers and 4,415 killed. There can be no denying the decision by Bush/Cheney, etc, will be remembered as one of the biggest fiascos in US foreign policy.

There is no longer even mention of weapons of mass destruction and the 9/11 lies that turned into ‘Saddam has to be removed’ that turned into ‘democracy must be brought to Iraq’. So much damage done to a country and its people with no regard for the consequences. So as the celebrations continue in the US, I can only wish that my son, Matthew, was returning from that God-forsaken place also. But alas, there will never be any celebration for me concerning anything to do with Iraq. Just a never-ending nightmare. I read a poem once written by a Vietnam war veteran, where he said that it is a funny thing about a war – the war never ends. Now I know what he meant.

John Fenton

(Father of US Marine Sgt Matthew Fenton who died from injuries suffered in Fallujah, May 5, 2006)

Point Pleasant

Church Bay

Crosshaven

Co Cork