US WIA Tops 12,000

The number of Americans wounded in action in Iraq has topped 12,000.

Sometimes we get a little fixated on the number of troops killed as the symbol of what's wrong with the war in Iraq, which is understandable, but we should never forget the number of lives changed forever by those wounded.

There was a recent story in my local newspaper about one of these soldiers.  He was a young man who was planning to leave for duty in Iraq but felt strangely compelled to wait until the last possible moment, since his wife was preganant with their first child.  As luck would have it, his wife gave birth to a healthy daughter, and the young man had a few hours in one day to see his baby.  

He left for Iraq and was eventually wounded in a major explosion.  Among other injuries, he was left blinded for life.  

He is home now and recovering, but will never be able to see his daughter again.  He says he remembers the sight of her in his mind often.

If you had read this story, it would break your heart.