Since the beginning of August and the vacation (14 days), 54 more Americans (3.86 per day) have joined an expanding list containing 1,853 names that served in Iraq and who have lost their opportunity for a 9, 12, 39 day or 5 week vacation. The numbers are not static. They are like sand in an hourglass. As time passes, more names will be added to the list. The 54 for August, thus far, are:

("Killed" means by IED attack, car bomb, suicide car bomb, or sniper unless otherwise designated.)

Killed- Aug. 1
Sergeant James R. Graham III
Lance Corporal Roger D. Castleberry Jr.
Sergeant David J. Coullard
Lance Corporal Daniel Nathan Deyarmin Jr.
Corporal Jeffrey A. Boskovitch
Lance Corporal Brian P. Montgomery
Sergeant Nathaniel S. Rock

Killed- Aug. 2
Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas C. Hull (unspecified cause)
Staff Sergeant James D. McNaughton

Killed- Aug. 3
Lance Corporal Adam J. Strain
Specialist Mathew V. Gibbs
Sergeant 1st Class Charles Houghton Warren
Specialist Jerry Lewis Ganey Jr.
Lance Corporal Nicholas William B. Bloem
Corporal David S. Stewart
Sergeant Bradley J. Harper
Lance Corporal Kevin G. Waruinge
Lance Corporal Grant B. Fraser
Sergeant Justin F. Hoffman
Lance Corporal Eric J. Bernholtz
Lance Corporal Aaron H. Reed
Corporal David Kenneth J. Kreuter
Lance Corporal William Brett Wightman
Lance Corporal Christopher Jenkins Dyer
Lance Corporal Michael J. Cifuentes
Lance Corporal Timothy Michael Bell Jr.
Lance Corporal Edward August Schroeder II

Killed- Aug. 4
Private 1st Class Nils George Thompson
Staff Sergeant Chad J. Simon

Killed- Aug. 5
Sergeant 1st Class Brett Eugene Walden (vehicle accident)
Gunnery Sergeant Terry W. Ball Jr.
Sergeant 1st Class Robert V. Derenda (vehicle accident)

Killed- Aug. 6
Lance Corporal Chase Johnson Cromley
Sergeant Brahim J. Jeffcoat
Specialist Kurt E. Krout

Killed- Aug. 7
Private 1st Class Seferino J. Reyna

Killed- Aug.8
Private 1st Class Hernando Rios
Specialist Anthony N. Kalladeen
Staff Sergeant Ramon E. Gonzales Cordova

Killed- Aug. 9
Staff Sergeant Ryan S. Ostrom
Sergeant Francis J. Straub Jr.
Private 1st Class Nathaniel E. "Nate" Detample
Specialist John Kulick
Specialist Gennaro Pellegrini Jr.
Specialist Miguel Carrasquillo

Killed- Aug. 10
Lance Corporal Evenor C. Herrera
Sergeant 1st Class Michael A. Benson

Killed- Aug. 12
name unreleased
name unreleased
name unreleased
name unreleased
name unreleased

Killed- Aug. 13
name unreleased

Killed- Aug. 14 (as of a.m.- U.S. time)
name unreleased

There is a certain consistency in the fact that George Bush's motorcade rushed past the tents on his way to a $2 million dollar fundraiser. During the Vietnam War (police action, etc.) tents, canopies, and whatever else they could find often sheltered American troops doing the fighting overseas. "Somehow" he managed to metaphorically rush by those tents as well. All the while "supporting" the war with false bravado, empty rhetoric, and a barely used and, in his case, aptly named, "flight" suit.

He escaped that conflict without a scratch and, apparently, no guilt in supporting something for which he wouldn't risk his most precious asset- his own life.

Only time will tell if George Bush will be as capable of continuing to rush past the current tents and avoid the newly identified enemies of "our [his] way of life"- namely, a few grieving and angry moms and their supporters.