Shockwave and awe

A very powerful little piece of shockwave flash animation. Graphic designer Tim Klimowicz memorializes casualties of the coalition forces on a map, ten days every second. Click on the red button to start it up.

It's easy to dismiss something like this as partisan. Remember the Pentagon policy that prohibited showing photographs of the flag draped coffins, and the progressive push to release them?. There is a common perception that focusing on the costs of war undermines the administration's position- and there is some truth to this.

Nevertheless, this display really should resonate for you no matter what your opinion is of our involvement in Iraq. And as a very wise friend pointed out to me, this map would be a lot busier if it showed Iraqi casualties (they aren't all enemy combatants, you know...).

If you want to help our friends and relatives in military service, here is a good resource page from Stars and Stripes with a bunch of ideas. I have used this site before to send phone cards overseas.

And never let the right wing spin machine get away with implying that they are the only ones who "support the troops"...