By Walter Brasch
Nine American mothers will not enjoy Mother’s Day this year.
Their sons were killed in the past month in Afghanistan.
This past Wednesday, a family of nine was killed by Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
On Friday, 9 Pakistani soldiers were killed. That same day, 29 Taliban were killed.
2,319 American soldiers were killed in America’s longest war. A war that should never have lasted that long.
3,438 coalition troops, including Americans, were killed.
4,486 American soldiers were killed in the Iraq War. A war that should never have been begun. 4,804 coalition troops, including Americans were killed.
There are no accurate estimates of how many Iraqis—civilian and military—were killed. The best estimates place the total somewhere between 200,000 and 800,000.
What is known is that every person killed in war had a mother. And every mother, no matter what her son believed or fought for, cried at her son or daughter’s death.
This past Friday, the United States dedicated Camp Mike Spann in Afghanistan, and turned it over to that country’s military.
Johnny Micheal Spann was the first American killed in the Afghanistan War. That was in 2001.
Capt. Spann is buried in section 34 at Arlington National Cemetery.
He and millions of others –every one who fought and died for their beliefs and their countries—are buried throughout this world.
It has occurred since history began. It will continue to occur. Until humans learn that wars, no matter how righteous they are fought, are never the answer to political conflict.
The best way to honor our mothers is to make sure they do not have to mourn the deaths of their children.
[Walter Brasch is a social issues journalist; he is a columnist, radio commentator, and author of 20 books, including Fracking Pennsylvania. He is also an emeritus professor of mass communications.]