Patriots Day 2007: "This war is lost"

"This war is lost, and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq." —U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, April 19, 2007

On April 19, 1775, the American patriots confronted British troops at Lexington and Concord, firing the "shot heard round the world" that began the American Revolution. You can read the first stanza of Emerson's poem, Concord Hymn, at the base of the famous Minuteman statue in Concord, Massachusetts:

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled;
Here once the embattled farmers stood;
And fired the shot heard round the world.

We have a support-the-troops ministry at my church, which recently sent care packages of magazines, puzzle books, and other nice tokens to let our military sons, daughters, grandchildren, and friends know that we are thinking of and praying for them. Here is an excerpt from the thank-you note we received from one of the recipients, a U.S. Marine named Andrea:

Thank you very much for the care package you sent me. It was very thoughtful and much appreciated. It is comforting to know so many people are thinking and praying for me and all the other troops out here. Life in Baghdad has been very interesting since I first came here at the beginning of December. I have enjoyed being here during the historic events such as the Saddam trial and execution, the appointment of General Petraeus and the departure of the US Ambassador of Iraq. Please continue your support of the troops as well as the war in Iraq. We are doing great things out here, never forget those who have died for this war. We must and will be victorious. Our nation depends on it.

It just about kills me to know that Andrea and all of our solidiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines heard or will soon hear Sen. Reid's Patriot Day statement, and that more of our kids in school will hear it than Emerson's Concord Hymn.