American troops dead in Iraq

month after month following the conquest,

a feat of arms comparable

to Germany’s defeat of France.

Iraqis, however, are not Frenchmen

and lacking western civilized ways

were willing to suicide themselves

to resist encroaching democracy.

Politicians in our homeland quibbled,

while our youth’s blood stained desert sands.

Some of our more extreme citizens

accused our president of war crimes,

a charge normally presented

by the nations that hate us.

Conspiracy theorists complained

that we were waging a war for oil,

while they bought bigger SUV’s.

Journalists weaken our will to act

by invoking the dreaded specter

of the quagmire of Vietnam.

In this softer, more liberal age

it’s unreasonable to expect

public approval for blood and guts war,

but there should be recognition

for the sacrifice of our troops

who suffered  and died

to create democracy.