Iraq stats websites needed, if you've got them.

[ginnyinWI]

My daughter's fiance (MN National Guard member) has just been notified that he will be deployed to Iraq next January. Now he's not going into combat--his unit is a military band unit, and that's what he'll be there for--to play for ceremonies and the like. Yeah I know--is this really necessary??

But of course she's freaking out anyway. They are both progressive Obama supporters against this war--he enlisted in 2002 when he was young and unattached and had not even met my daughter yet, etc. And didn't count on Guards being sent to war, of course. He was due to get out this September--but when you have orders, they don't let you do that until you come back from an assignment.

They are engaged to be married in August, and will have just five months before he has to go, and then will be separated for a whole year. And that's a really long time when you are in your 20s. I'm not holding out much hope that the political situation will change in time for his orders to change--although it's possible.

What she'd really like, and has asked me to find, are some websites where she can look at the violence in Iraq and get an understanding of just what is going on. She hasn't paid much attention to the details until now. Anyone know of any good ones, besides, obviously, the sites from the major news outlets?

[fedupinBushcountry]

1. Oh Ginny

I don't know what to tell you or where to send her, because it will only freak her out more. I was 20 and newly married when my husband went to Vietnam and for me at least it was better not knowing all the gorey details. WTF is a National Guard band doing in Iraq, that is absurd, as we have Army, Navy and Marine bands.

I usually visit http://icasualties.org/oif/">Iraq Coalition Casualtieson a daily basis, they usually have a bunch of news stories listed there.

[ginnyinWI]

2. thanks, fedup

I sent her the site. I'd say it depends on the person--she's the type that has to know everything possible to relieve anxiety. But yeah, sometimes it's better not to know. The guy's CO talked to her on the phone and tried to be reassuring, saying that they've never lost a band member yet.