We will have sent over 100 young Americans to their deaths in Iraq in October. The highest in almost two years. And the 4th month of increasing deaths. And perhaps up to 1,000 to a life with injuries and mental problems. Wounded and injured.

We don't hear much about the wounded. We "save" more wounded soldiers from dying than in previous wars - so the ratio of wounded to deaths is higher. What this means is more young people facing their lives with no eyes, no limbs, brains missing sections, guts torn out, faces disfigured and/or serious mental challenges. We have over 40,000 wounded and injured from this war - so far. "Stay the Course" and twiddle with the "tactics" is a losing game. Like Hitler tweaked the tactics but stayed the course at Stalingrad in the face of his generals recommending "cut and run".

Oh - and somewhere between 40,000 and 600,000 (pdf link) killed and permanently injured Iraqis. We have no idea. And we avoid counting. We in America are responsible. They should be as treasured as human beings as our kids. But we don't even keep track. We are destroying a country in order to save it - again.

So - let us elect a Democratic majority in the House and Senate. It is our best - and only - chance to reverse this perverse and criminal regime in power. It is how a democracy overthrows a government without killing people. And that is the real and only advance that democracy has made on traditional forms of governance. Vote for Rick Larsen and Maria Cantwell if you are against the war. They may be fence sitters, but the majority of Democrats will work to stop this war.