I took part in one of the many vigils that took place around the country to mark the awful arrival of the number 3,000–actually, it’s now 3,004 American men and women who have been killed in the illegal and immoral war in Iraq. Along with Cindy Sheehan and others, I read a portion of the names of those killed in front of the White House at the same time that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were meeting with the guy who is responsible for those deaths–that would be the president, along with his enablers of both parties.

What struck me most as I read the names were their ages: 21, 22, 21, 20, 19, 22, 24, and one old-timer of 50. But, my god, what a waste of human life. People, some of whom were not even of drinking age in some places, whose lives were snuffed out because of the arrogance and ego of our government.

I just hope that the Democratic Party remembers how they took back power in Congress: the deep anger at what is happening in Iraq, the pointless waste of human life, the completely insane draining of money we need for the people. All those Democrats who are mumbling any kind of even mild interest in a surge of U.S. troops, or who are declining to hold the Administration accountable via impeachment investigations, should be forced to read the names of some of those young people who will never open their eyes to another morning.

(photo credit from USA Today: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images)