EDITORIAL VETERANS DAY HONORING OUR HEROES' SACRIFICES.VETERANS Day takes on special meaning this year with the casualties mounting in Iraq and the nation facing a long-term struggle against terrorists. With the official total of U.S. service deaths reaching 389 after the bloodiest week yet, public opinion has grown increasingly skeptical of the course charted by the Bush administration. Yet, we must not lose our resolve because too much is at stake. And we must not let our support wane for the men and women who are putting their lives on the line in an effort to bring democracy and freedom to a part of the world that knows neither. The sacrifices they and their families make can only be justified by our faith in the justice of the cause of bringing democracy to Iraq and the Middle East in general, our faith that free people do not need to resort to terrible violence to have their voices heard. Veterans Day is the right time to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by our servicemen and -women, to honor them and to remember why we have sent them into battle. The observance of Veterans Day was originally held to mark the end of World War I, which in its time was the bloodiest war mankind had known. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed pro·claim tr.v. pro·claimed, pro·claim·ing, pro·claims 1. To announce officially and publicly; declare. See Synonyms at announce. 2. Armistice Armistice (Nov. 11, 1918) Agreement between Germany and the Allies ending World War I. Allied representatives met with a German delegation in a railway carriage at Rethondes, France, to discuss terms. The agreement was signed on Nov. Day a holiday to remind Americans of the tragedies of war and to commemorate the sacrifices of those who fought it. In 1954, Congress changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day to reflect new additions to the war calendar: World War II and the Korean War Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. . In the years since, Americans have mourned our losses in conflicts large and small, including the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. , the Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War or Gulf War (1990–91) International conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Though justified by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on grounds that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, the invasion was presumed to be , the war in Afghanistan and now the war in Iraq. As we take the day to honor those in the service who have committed themselves to defend our country and those who have paid the ultimate price, we honor the valor valor a rodenticide no longer marketed because of toxicity in horses causing dehydration, abdominal pain, hindlimb weakness, inappetence, fishy smell in urine. Called also N-3-pyridyl methyl N1-p-nitrophenyl urea. and patriotism Patriotism See also Chauvinism, Loyalty. America, Captain comic-strip character known as the “protector of the American way.” [Comics: Horn, 155–156] American elm traditional symbol of American patriotism. of all veterans. |
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