Americans have proved many times and many ways that they are willing to die for their country whenever their leaders request it. The brave young American men and women in Iraq believe that they are serving the interests of the American people.  They deserve better from this administration than the half-truths they have been offered. 

"No blood for oil" is a stirring slogan that does little to explain the complex motives behind the U.S. military presence in Iraq.  Still, just as the American flag hides and beautifies the incoming coffins from Iraq, so too the rhetoric of patriotism and civic duty masks the horrifyingly inept pursuit of short-term domestic political and bureaucratic interests.  A few Americans have become rich from this war.  They live safe in their gated communities. The vast majority of us are a little poorer, a little less secure, and a great deal less respected by our fellow citizens in the world.

We object, both to the lies that have taken the country into an unnecessary war and to the use of the Flag as a symbol for the barbarity of this or any unjust war. This U.S. Administration has proved that it does not have the skill or legitimacy to remake Iraq in a way that will benefit the Iraqis, no matter how bravely our young men and women now pursue that goal.  It's time to bring them back home. It's time to renew our pact with ourselves, our cherished ideals and our partners in the global community. 

They touch the coffins gently, with reverence, smoothing 
out a wrinkle here, patting a silent comfort for a lost comrade they 
never met. 

The account below is from The Memory Hole, on efforts
to secure the photo above and others kept hidden
by an administration that hoped we'd forget about
the losses.

http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/coffin_photos/dover/

Since March 2003, a newly-enforced military regulation has forbidden taking or distributing images of caskets or body tubes containing the remains of soldiers who died overseas. 
[read more]

Immediately after hearing about this, I filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the following:

All photographs showing caskets (or other devices) containing the remains of US military personnel at Dover AFB. This would include, but not be limited to, caskets arriving, caskets departing, and any funerary rites/rituals being performed. The timeframe for these photos is from 01 February 2003 to the present.

I specified Dover because they process the remains of 
most, if not all, US military personnel killed overseas. Not surpisingly, my request was completely rejected. 

Not taking 'no' for an answer, I appealed on several grounds, and—to my amazement—the ruling was reversed. The Air Force then sent me a CD containing 361 photographs of flag-draped coffins and the services welcoming the deceased soldiers.

Score one for freedom of information and the public's right 
to know.

Collage in plastic and duct tape
Concept: Christine Counelis
Execution: Karen Lee

Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
Be it olive, safflower or crude.
For cooking, for cars, take a rocket to the stars,
For a backrub, romantic rendezvous.

In your engine, on your face,
Or almost any place,
A little dab of oil’ll get you through.

Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
To lubricate the Red, White and Blue!

If you drive a big V-8,
It’s time to celebrate.
They’re gonna fight a war for you.

To keep gas prices cheap,
So when you drive or when you sleep,
You can do it in an air conditioned room.

For driving is your right,
So let’s get out there and fight!
You can read that in the Constitu ....

Tion!  I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
To lubricate the Red, White and Blue!

Here we go now ...

Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
Be it olive, safflower or crude.
For cooking, for cars, take a rocket to the stars,
For a backrub romantic rendezvous.

In your engine, on your face or almost any place,
A little dab of oil’ll get you through!
Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
To lubricate the Red, White and Blue!

 [kazoo chorus revamp w/humming]

Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
To lubricate the Red, White and Blue!

For a place to attack,
Why not attack Iraq?
They’ve got coconut ‘n palm oil ‘n crude.

They invaded Kuwait,
So let’s not hesitate!
We can blow up a country or two.

If it’s oil or it’s grease,
We don’t have time for peace!
Waging war is what we want to do.

Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
To lubricate the Red, White and Blue!

 Everybody ....

Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,
Be it olive, safflower or crude.
For cooking, for cars, take a rocket to the stars,
For a backrub romantic rendezvous.

In your engine, on your face or almost any place,
A little dab of oil’ll get you through.
Oh, I’d go anywhere to fight for oil,

It’s gonna be a great fight!
Should only take a fortnight,

To lubricate the Red, White and Blue!

Listen to a 2-minute audio clip at:
http://cowswithguns.com/moosic4.html 

For more of Dana Lyons' music, go to:
  www.cowswithguns.com