Fallen Soldier, Against War, Joined Anyway

Son Of Mexican Immigrants Blogged About "Mistake" Of Iraq War, Killed By Gunfire In Baghdad

(AP)  Victor A. Garcia didn't support President Bush and thought the Iraq war was wrong.

Yet he joined the Army anyway, looking for some help with college tuition and perhaps some discipline. The specialist was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

On July 1, he was killed in Baghdad when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire.

Garcia, 22, was the son of Mexican immigrants.

His brothers, Abel and Daniel, married their high school sweethearts at a young age. Victor knew many girls, but had no girlfriend.

"Victor just wanted to get out and see the world," Daniel Garcia said. "Victor was the one destined to do a lot more."

He was an avid sports fan and loved the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco 49ers and Manchester United soccer club in England.

At a memorial service earlier this month at Immaculate Conception Church in Monrovia, childhood friend Michael Avalos of Fontana said, "I understand he was supporting his country, but I wish he had been given the chance to have a family of his own, to live the American dream."

Garcia read books by leftist critic Noam Chomsky. One of his blog entries on his MySpace.com page wonders, "What more evidence do we need?" that the war was a mistake.

Besides his mother and brothers, Garcia is survived by his father and a sister.

In Other Developments:

Two U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday in separate attacks in Iraq, the military said. One U.S. soldier Multi-National Division — Baghdad was killed by small-arms fire during combat operations north of Baghdad, the military said. Another died in fighting in an eastern section of the capital, according to a separate statement. The deaths raised to at least 3,648 members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Iraqi security forces have imposed a vehicle ban in Baghdad ahead of Sunday's scheduled Asian Cup final against Saudi Arabia, from half an hour before the match is due to begin in Jakarta, Indonesia. Military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim al-Moussawi said the ban comes after two car bombs tore through crowds of Iraqis as they celebrated their country's semi final win against South Korea on Wednesday. Fifty people were killed in the attacks.

Poland's president said Sunday the government has not yet decided on whether to extend the country's military mission in Iraq beyond the end of the year. "There's still no final decision on this matter," President Lech Kaczynski told reporters. "It depends on a lot of factors, above all on how the situation there is going to develop and how our cooperation with the United States is going to shape up." Last Saturday, Defense Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said he favors extending Poland's mission to the violence-torn country "because, from the security angle, the situation in Iraq certainly is not going to resolve itself that quickly," the PAP news agency reported. Last year, the government extend its mission in Iraq until the end of 2007. Szczyglo said Saturday that a decision on whether to further prolong the mission should come "in the early fall."

In Damascus, Syria, the World Health Organization opened a two-day conference Sunday to address the health needs of the more than 2 million Iraqis who have fled the country's violence. The conference brought international relief organizations together with officials from Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq to discuss how to provide health care to the growing pool of Iraqi refugees. Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said his country was facing a huge health care burden from the presence of more than 1.5 million Iraqi refugees and called for outside assistance. "The United States and the international community should do all they can to help the host countries face this challenge," he told reporters on the sidelines of the conference. Syria's Health Minister, Maher Hosami, estimated the health care cost for Iraqi refugees in Syria at $60 million.


© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Add a Comment See all 19 Comments

by colonieny July 29, 2007 11:21 AM PDT

To CBS: Exploited Honor ?

What is the point of this story ? Why is it the leading story ? It is very sad that anyone must die, but to protect our freedom this has been a price, and this conflict that we are now in, fighting Al Queada in Iraq (their name of their group, not ours) is in response to 9 11, and all those other attacks we basically ignored to our own peril.

I am sure that there were many soldiers who gave their lives during WWII, who did not believe in, or fully understand- that war either, but were brave nonetheless, as was Mr. Garcia.

He is a patriot. And his memory honored, not exploited.

Reply to this comment

by ioweign July 29, 2007 11:43 AM PDT

To CBS: Exploited Honor ?

What is the point of this story ? Why is it the leading story ? It is very sad that anyone must die, but to protect our freedom this has been a price, and this conflict that we are now in, fighting Al Queada in Iraq (their name of their group, not ours) is in response to 9 11, and all those other attacks we basically ignored to our own peril.

I am sure that there were many soldiers who gave their lives during WWII, who did not believe in, or fully understand- that war either, but were brave nonetheless, as was Mr. Garcia.

He is a patriot. And his memory honored, not exploited.
Posted by ColonieNY at 11:21 AM : Jul 29, 2007


ColonieNY - We are all being exploited by Bush and Cheney. Iraq is NOT a response to 911 it is Bush and Cheney response to OIL.

Reply to this comment

by prinzowhales July 29, 2007 12:07 PM PDT

What a terrible price to pay for tuition assistance. I guess we will be calling our mercenaries "patriots" as well...all of those working so assidiously for Blackwater at $500-a-day trying to liberate all of that oil from the Iraqis...

It seems like only yesterday that other "patriots" at CIA were, along with their ISI counterparts, helping fuel Islamic fundamentalism through madrassas in northern Pakistan to fight in Afghanistan...Brzezinski's plan, put into operation six months before the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet.

On 9-11 Porter Goss was breakfasting with ISI's head, Lt. General Mahmoud Ahmad in Washington-- the general that wired the patsy-ringleader of the patsy Arabs Mohammed Atta, $100,000. As a minimum of 7 of the FBI's 19 hijackers are still alive and well and as FBI Director R. Mueller says they didn't have a case against Osama for 9-11, and as only Atta could fly a small plane, the official 9-11 fable of 'Dat ol' Al Kader done knock' down my big buildings' should be put to rest with the flat earth and the spontaneous generation of life.

Reply to this comment

by xzavierbrown July 29, 2007 2:17 PM PDT

I am sure when a cbs or an AP news reporter gets kidnapped, that they can rest assured that the US military would put american lives at risk to save thier arses..Why dont we just deliver these liberals to the hands of islam and let us see how far they would thank them for all that hard work

Reply to this comment

by urlnts July 29, 2007 3:14 PM PDT

What a sad state of affairs,especially when its just a replay of the rightwings lying and hypocritical continuation of another war--- Vietnam !Nixon knew in 1971 that the war was not winnable and told Kissinger so,his reply...pulling out will turn your base against you and lose the election!So another 20,000 brave Americans died along with millions of Vietnamese,Cambodians and Laotions!The echoes of history are so loud that they are deafening,yet GW will try anything to salvage his reputation and just like the rest of the rights war mongers ---they will send thousands more to their deaths just so they can prolong having to admit their guilt,lies and failures in this terrible debacle!

Reply to this comment

by toolmangler-2009 July 29, 2007 3:45 PM PDT

What is the point of this story ? Why is it the leading story ?
He is a patriot. And his memory honored, not exploited.
Posted by ColonieNY at 11:21 AM : Jul 29, 2007



You ask why? I say 'why not'. Let honor come to all who earn it.

Reply to this comment

by republic1776 July 29, 2007 3:45 PM PDT

FYI
Vietnam was President Johnson's monster.
Kennedy had plans to end the conflict.
When JOHNSON took office he stepped up the War.
He did a 180 degree turn from Kennedy's plan.
President Nixon ended the War and was a great American.

Reply to this comment

by ubrew12 July 29, 2007 3:48 PM PDT

ColonieNY said: "It is very sad that anyone must die, but to protect our freedom this has been a price, and this conflict that we are now in... is in response to 9 11"
The story is relevant to the over 70% of Americans who believe we shouldn't be in Iraq because it increases the likelihood of terrorist response rather than reduces it. So far, most American's 'sacrifice' for this war has equalled the price of a bumper sticker on the Hummer. The Prez CUT TAXES during the war, thereby ensuring it must be paid in $$$ by our children (as well as, in 3600 cases, by the blood of our children). Garcia was smart enough to realize the Prez (and his backers) are fools and that statistically the chance of his not being killed or wounded and hence being able to go to college, was large, and so he went.

The word that applies to such people is 'hostage'. The Prez and his rich backers hold such people hostage, dangling a college reward if they'll take a chance on their young lives in a useless war. It's completely morally-bankrupt, and the fact that you can't see it says something about you.

Reply to this comment

by ioweign July 29, 2007 3:51 PM PDT

FYI
Vietnam was President Johnson's monster.
Kennedy had plans to end the conflict.
When JOHNSON took office he stepped up the War.
He did a 180 degree turn from Kennedy's plan.
President Nixon ended the War and was a great American.
Posted by republic1776 at 03:45 PM : Jul 29, 2007

Actually it started in 1959 which would put it in Eisenhower's ballpark!

Reply to this comment

by djmo1-2009 July 29, 2007 9:11 PM PDT

The word that applies to such people is 'hostage'. The Prez and his rich backers hold such people hostage, dangling a college reward if they'll take a chance on their young lives in a useless war. It's completely morally-bankrupt, and the fact that you can't see it says something about you.
Posted by ubrew12 at 03:48 PM : Jul 29, 2007

I understand what you are saying, however the college money for an enlistment contract has been in existance since the Vietnam era. Can't really blame it on Bush. The rest of it you can blame on Bush, but the college fund was not his idea.

Reply to this comment

by drummer94 July 30, 2007 8:43 AM PDT

Now this was a patriot. He questioned the war, and served anyway because he loved his country. Thomas Jefferson shaked his hand and hugged him. We should emulate this guy.

Reply to this comment

by wfbdem July 30, 2007 9:01 AM PDT

Get over it..People panic on how he was killed..That's it..nothing more..Move On
Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 10:45 AM : Jul 27, 2007

Folks remember these lines. This how the right views our troops, their sacrifices, their families' pain and loss. Next time one of these rightwing fanatics mention the military, ask them why THEy are so unpatriotic, why they have no respect for the troops, why they hate america. I spent 2 years having my patriotism questioned when I said we had no reason to invade Iraq. Now we see the true side of the rightwing viewpoints. What they really think about the deaths of our sons, daughters, husbands and wives.

"get over it. Move on. He was killed, that's it... nothing more."
Remember what they really think of our troops.

Reply to this comment

by drummer94 July 30, 2007 9:05 AM PDT

FARTKNOCKER2- get over you. Idiot.

Reply to this comment

by drummer94 July 30, 2007 9:09 AM PDT

...and PRIZONWHALES, your just demented.

Reply to this comment

by prinzowhales July 30, 2007 11:06 AM PDT

drummer94--I re-read the article...could you please point to the part that reveals his "love" of country? Like another of Bush's victims, Pat Tillman, he did have a fondness for Noam Chomsky...he wanted tuition assistance and wanted to see the world.

The "last refuge of a scoundrel" Dr. Johnson tells us through Boswell, is "patriotism"...and not just any patriotism...It is the booming patriotism of those who want others to die for ulterior motives....the 'patriotism' of those who cover their falsehoods and crimes with the flag of their country. The poor deluded young man made a deal with the devil for tuition assistance and the devil has received his due. Unfortunately, the devil will have to wait a bit longer for the men and women who sent Specialist Victor A. Garcia to his death...God willing, he will not have to wait long.

Reply to this comment

by drummer94 July 30, 2007 12:21 PM PDT

Prinz:(sorry 'bout earlier spelling) I think mr. Tillman, like all of us, was so outraged over 9/11, that he felt it was his and, by proxy, all of us's duty to do SOMETHING. I commend his spirit. Maybe he was a dink. Who knows? He further knew that the "war" was/is in Afghanistan. Not, repeat, NOT in Iraq. This mess is all loony-toon and co.'s fault, and now we have lost, what?,3697. Bush is a prick. He is skrewing me, he's skrewing you, and worse, he is skrewing our country.

Reply to this comment

by drummer94 July 30, 2007 2:14 PM PDT

Hi ya Nancy. One word "THANKS"

Reply to this comment

by drummer94 July 30, 2007 5:20 PM PDT

"Fallen soldier".--- Says it all.

Reply to this comment

by prinzowhales July 30, 2007 9:33 PM PDT

Drummer94--It is one war, sold by two associated firms--Vengence & Sons, fobbed the invasion of Afghanistan off on us with the ease of a Willaim Randolph Hearst waving the bloody shirt on the sinking of the USS Maine. Fear, Hate and Delusion, Inc., pandered the invasion of Iraq to ears well prepped by a decade of accusations, attacks and sanctions. But, these two incidents were only a small part of the grand picture....

Bush's principles had their eyes on the entire underbelly of the former USSR. Ziggy Brzezinski's original plan, signed into effect six months prior to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was designed to stir up holy war thoughout the southern tier of Asia. American policy--that is to say, Big Oil policy
--desired a pipeline through Afghanistan (the Taliban were offered at the Berlin Conference in the summer of 2001, ' a shower of gold' to approve a pipeline deal, or a 'shower of bombs' if they didn't. This pipeline would carry gas to the sub-continent.

The invasion of Iraq put the kabash on Iraqi exports and supported the exhorbitant price of oil and gas. The desired invasion of Iran...ditto.

It is all one big war for profits, this, the Stupid Peoples' War.

Reply to this comment

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[colonieny]

To CBS: Exploited Honor ?

What is the point of this story ? Why is it the leading story ? It is very sad that anyone must die, but to protect our freedom this has been a price, and this conflict that we are now in, fighting Al Queada in Iraq (their name of their group, not ours) is in response to 9 11, and all those other attacks we basically ignored to our own peril.

I am sure that there were many soldiers who gave their lives during WWII, who did not believe in, or fully understand- that war either, but were brave nonetheless, as was Mr. Garcia.

He is a patriot. And his memory honored, not exploited.

[ioweign]

To CBS: Exploited Honor ?

What is the point of this story ? Why is it the leading story ? It is very sad that anyone must die, but to protect our freedom this has been a price, and this conflict that we are now in, fighting Al Queada in Iraq (their name of their group, not ours) is in response to 9 11, and all those other attacks we basically ignored to our own peril.

I am sure that there were many soldiers who gave their lives during WWII, who did not believe in, or fully understand- that war either, but were brave nonetheless, as was Mr. Garcia.

He is a patriot. And his memory honored, not exploited.
Posted by ColonieNY at 11:21 AM : Jul 29, 2007


ColonieNY - We are all being exploited by Bush and Cheney. Iraq is NOT a response to 911 it is Bush and Cheney response to OIL.

[prinzowhales]

What a terrible price to pay for tuition assistance. I guess we will be calling our mercenaries "patriots" as well...all of those working so assidiously for Blackwater at $500-a-day trying to liberate all of that oil from the Iraqis...

It seems like only yesterday that other "patriots" at CIA were, along with their ISI counterparts, helping fuel Islamic fundamentalism through madrassas in northern Pakistan to fight in Afghanistan...Brzezinski's plan, put into operation six months before the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet.

On 9-11 Porter Goss was breakfasting with ISI's head, Lt. General Mahmoud Ahmad in Washington-- the general that wired the patsy-ringleader of the patsy Arabs Mohammed Atta, $100,000. As a minimum of 7 of the FBI's 19 hijackers are still alive and well and as FBI Director R. Mueller says they didn't have a case against Osama for 9-11, and as only Atta could fly a small plane, the official 9-11 fable of 'Dat ol' Al Kader done knock' down my big buildings' should be put to rest with the flat earth and the spontaneous generation of life.

[xzavierbrown]

I am sure when a cbs or an AP news reporter gets kidnapped, that they can rest assured that the US military would put american lives at risk to save thier arses..Why dont we just deliver these liberals to the hands of islam and let us see how far they would thank them for all that hard work

[urlnts]

What a sad state of affairs,especially when its just a replay of the rightwings lying and hypocritical continuation of another war--- Vietnam !Nixon knew in 1971 that the war was not winnable and told Kissinger so,his reply...pulling out will turn your base against you and lose the election!So another 20,000 brave Americans died along with millions of Vietnamese,Cambodians and Laotions!The echoes of history are so loud that they are deafening,yet GW will try anything to salvage his reputation and just like the rest of the rights war mongers ---they will send thousands more to their deaths just so they can prolong having to admit their guilt,lies and failures in this terrible debacle!

[toolmangler-2009]

What is the point of this story ? Why is it the leading story ?
He is a patriot. And his memory honored, not exploited.
Posted by ColonieNY at 11:21 AM : Jul 29, 2007



You ask why? I say 'why not'. Let honor come to all who earn it.

[republic1776]

FYI
Vietnam was President Johnson's monster.
Kennedy had plans to end the conflict.
When JOHNSON took office he stepped up the War.
He did a 180 degree turn from Kennedy's plan.
President Nixon ended the War and was a great American.

[ubrew12]

ColonieNY said: "It is very sad that anyone must die, but to protect our freedom this has been a price, and this conflict that we are now in... is in response to 9 11"
The story is relevant to the over 70% of Americans who believe we shouldn't be in Iraq because it increases the likelihood of terrorist response rather than reduces it. So far, most American's 'sacrifice' for this war has equalled the price of a bumper sticker on the Hummer. The Prez CUT TAXES during the war, thereby ensuring it must be paid in $$$ by our children (as well as, in 3600 cases, by the blood of our children). Garcia was smart enough to realize the Prez (and his backers) are fools and that statistically the chance of his not being killed or wounded and hence being able to go to college, was large, and so he went.

The word that applies to such people is 'hostage'. The Prez and his rich backers hold such people hostage, dangling a college reward if they'll take a chance on their young lives in a useless war. It's completely morally-bankrupt, and the fact that you can't see it says something about you.

[ioweign]

FYI
Vietnam was President Johnson's monster.
Kennedy had plans to end the conflict.
When JOHNSON took office he stepped up the War.
He did a 180 degree turn from Kennedy's plan.
President Nixon ended the War and was a great American.
Posted by republic1776 at 03:45 PM : Jul 29, 2007

Actually it started in 1959 which would put it in Eisenhower's ballpark!

[djmo1-2009]

The word that applies to such people is 'hostage'. The Prez and his rich backers hold such people hostage, dangling a college reward if they'll take a chance on their young lives in a useless war. It's completely morally-bankrupt, and the fact that you can't see it says something about you.
Posted by ubrew12 at 03:48 PM : Jul 29, 2007

I understand what you are saying, however the college money for an enlistment contract has been in existance since the Vietnam era. Can't really blame it on Bush. The rest of it you can blame on Bush, but the college fund was not his idea.

[drummer94]

Now this was a patriot. He questioned the war, and served anyway because he loved his country. Thomas Jefferson shaked his hand and hugged him. We should emulate this guy.

[wfbdem]

Get over it..People panic on how he was killed..That's it..nothing more..Move On
Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 10:45 AM : Jul 27, 2007

Folks remember these lines. This how the right views our troops, their sacrifices, their families' pain and loss. Next time one of these rightwing fanatics mention the military, ask them why THEy are so unpatriotic, why they have no respect for the troops, why they hate america. I spent 2 years having my patriotism questioned when I said we had no reason to invade Iraq. Now we see the true side of the rightwing viewpoints. What they really think about the deaths of our sons, daughters, husbands and wives.

"get over it. Move on. He was killed, that's it... nothing more."
Remember what they really think of our troops.

[drummer94]

FARTKNOCKER2- get over you. Idiot.

[drummer94]

...and PRIZONWHALES, your just demented.

[prinzowhales]

drummer94--I re-read the article...could you please point to the part that reveals his "love" of country? Like another of Bush's victims, Pat Tillman, he did have a fondness for Noam Chomsky...he wanted tuition assistance and wanted to see the world.

The "last refuge of a scoundrel" Dr. Johnson tells us through Boswell, is "patriotism"...and not just any patriotism...It is the booming patriotism of those who want others to die for ulterior motives....the 'patriotism' of those who cover their falsehoods and crimes with the flag of their country. The poor deluded young man made a deal with the devil for tuition assistance and the devil has received his due. Unfortunately, the devil will have to wait a bit longer for the men and women who sent Specialist Victor A. Garcia to his death...God willing, he will not have to wait long.

[drummer94]

Prinz:(sorry 'bout earlier spelling) I think mr. Tillman, like all of us, was so outraged over 9/11, that he felt it was his and, by proxy, all of us's duty to do SOMETHING. I commend his spirit. Maybe he was a dink. Who knows? He further knew that the "war" was/is in Afghanistan. Not, repeat, NOT in Iraq. This mess is all loony-toon and co.'s fault, and now we have lost, what?,3697. Bush is a prick. He is skrewing me, he's skrewing you, and worse, he is skrewing our country.

[drummer94]

Hi ya Nancy. One word "THANKS"

[drummer94]

"Fallen soldier".--- Says it all.

[prinzowhales]

Drummer94--It is one war, sold by two associated firms--Vengence & Sons, fobbed the invasion of Afghanistan off on us with the ease of a Willaim Randolph Hearst waving the bloody shirt on the sinking of the USS Maine. Fear, Hate and Delusion, Inc., pandered the invasion of Iraq to ears well prepped by a decade of accusations, attacks and sanctions. But, these two incidents were only a small part of the grand picture....

Bush's principles had their eyes on the entire underbelly of the former USSR. Ziggy Brzezinski's original plan, signed into effect six months prior to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was designed to stir up holy war thoughout the southern tier of Asia. American policy--that is to say, Big Oil policy
--desired a pipeline through Afghanistan (the Taliban were offered at the Berlin Conference in the summer of 2001, ' a shower of gold' to approve a pipeline deal, or a 'shower of bombs' if they didn't. This pipeline would carry gas to the sub-continent.

The invasion of Iraq put the kabash on Iraqi exports and supported the exhorbitant price of oil and gas. The desired invasion of Iran...ditto.

It is all one big war for profits, this, the Stupid Peoples' War.