>>>>>Mothers are asking whether or not the danger is worth the life of a son or daughter. Whose life is more valuable then the life of the man or women in the military? They are sons and daughters and parents as well. At some point we have to say that the danger to us or the world is worth the lives of Americans, but who decides? We have never entered any war with 100% support of the American public.
>>>>
>>>>All good questions. I can't remember whether it was here that I said, as we entered Iraq, that my view was that that fight wasn't one I'd sacrifice my child for, and thus I didn't think we should be sending anyone else's children. WWII was such a fight.
>>>>
>>>>Tamar
>>>
>>>Did you ask Kurds?
>>
>>Fair question, but it's part of a much bigger question. What about Darfur and Rwanda and Kosovo and ...?
>>
>>I hope someday we can find a way for mothers not to have to make this call at all.
>>
>
>This may be obvious but...
>Any fair minded person would feel anguish about any loss of innocent life.
>But as soon as the "child" is old enough and enters the arm services, the parent no longer have control of where, why, and when their child is going.

No argument here, Sam, but there is a difference in the anguish felt losing a son or daughter than someone else losing a son or daughter.
We have direct investment in developing a good and decent person and share their aspirations and goals and then they are gone in an instant. We remember special events, special words, special looks, special smells and tons of little thing that made them who they are and are known only to mom and close family. These are the things that make a personal loss so hard.
No amount of sympathy toward some other grieving mom can match the grief that mom is feeling. Dads too, of course, but I think in the general sense it's much more applicable to moms.