Cost of War Hits Home for the President

(CBS)  In the Iraqi desert - or wherever he was - Nick Xiarhos had a presence.

"Everyone was his best friend. And that was his personality. He could make everyone feel important," his mother Lisa told CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann.

The born Marine was the first child of police lieutenant Steve Xiarhos and wife, Lisa.

"We were so proud - proud he wanted to do that and serve our country, especially be a Marine," Steve Xiarhos said.

But Xiarhos was also a son of Yarmouth, Massachusetts, his grieving Cape Cod hometown.

Last July, the 21-year-old Marine corporal was killed in Afghanistan.

The pain of Nick's death even reached President Obama. As he weighs whether to risk more American lives in Afghanistan, Nick has become the president's face of sacrifice.

"And also the cost of freedom," his father said.

CBS News first met Nick Xiarhos back in January as part of another story.

Blog: Strassmann Shares his Impressions of Xiarhos

CBS News Special Report: The Road Ahead

That story was about a suicide truck bomb attack in Iraq. In the explosion, two Marine guards died saving dozens of their buddies, including Xiarhos.

He was humbled by their heroics.

"To be able to save all of us and in turn sacrificing themselves, that's what makes the difference," Nick said at the time.

In February, President Obama saluted that bravery.

"These two Marines stood their ground," Mr. Obama said.

Xiarhos was there. He met his commander-in-chief.

And he switched units for the chance to fight again.

"I remember when he first called me and said he was going to Afghanistan. And I'm like, 'oh, no,'" Lisa Xiarhos said.

Three months later, Xiarhos came home for the final time. He had been killed by a roadside bomb.

"I'm the proudest but also the saddest man in the world," Steve Xiarhos said.

The kid from Cape Cod died answering his country's call to service. When President Obama learned a young Marine he had met had been killed, he asked to meet Nick's family.

"It was instant connection really," Steve Xiarhos said. "He basically said that when he makes decisions, he thinks about brave men and women like Nicholas. We want freedom and success to protect our country and help others, that's what we do, we're Americans. But the cost is huge."

A cost paid by an outgoing young Marine.

A cost the president promises to remember.

[hologram5]

To USMC-Mom:
Tell your son thank you for serving and thank you for being his loving mother. Too much, these soldiers are NOT being thanked for doing a thankless task. We shouldn't be over there, we shouldn't be making war on an Ideaology but we are and we have. Unfortunatly our young men and women are fighting and dying over there at an alarming rate. These people are faceless and nameless. They have made the ultimate sacrifice for a government that doesn't give a rat's a$$ about them, their past or future for that matter. Thanks to ALL who have or are serving. All the men in my family have served. My grandfather was on the Yorktown when it went down in the Midway. My father was in Vietnam, my stepfather was in Vietnam. My father in law, may he rest in peace was there for Korea, Vietnam and finally retired from the pentagon in Naval Intelligence. Before he passed he was NOT HAPPY in the way our Fed Gov't was running things nor was he happy with the direction our country was going in. He once got plastic surgery to smuggle out Nuclear Scientists from China, was he thanked for that? NO! He couldn't tell anyone about it. I didn't find out until AFTER he passed. That's just garbage, men dying for God knows what as they won't tell. It's just stupid.

[krmopilci]

Soldiers fight for what they are ordered,not for any ideal.

[USMC-Mom]

One of the reasons my son gave me for what he is doing is to give those asking there govenment for a freedom there chance. Anyother which I found odd (due to his age at the time of it) is Sept 11th, what happened in NY. My son is only 21, so do the math to see how young he was at the time. Never would I have expected my son to join the Marines, but he became a new man when he did, one I'm very proud of.
So yes my son does as ordered, but he had the reason before he ever joined. He quotes a song from bootcamp" It's an Honor to serve to join in the fight to lay down my life giving glory to God seeking non in return". The song is by Ray Blotz about a POW.
I really believe that we are all giving gifts & we all have a path, its are choice whether or not we follow. I believe my son & most of the others serving are following the path they should.

[AOCGUY]

Spoken like someone who has never served. There a a myriad of reason people join the military. Some patriotic some selfish probably most somewhere in between. Myuself I enlisted when I was drafted, clearly an effort in self determination if not self preservation (Viet Nam was hot and heavy then). That said, over time I developed like most do a strong sense of purpose that led me to make a career of military service. Make no mistake about it love of country and preservation of our country became a very strong motivation. I also found that I truely loved the peopl;e I worked with and would fight to the death to protect them.

I have been retired from military service for a number of years now, but I work with military prsonnel from all services daily and I have no question that from the young elisted to the SNCO and Field Grade Officers, a deep sense of patriotism and pride in country as well as that same love of fellow servicemen is deeply ingrained in each and everyone of them.

Now what you say was most likely true for many of the Iraqi Army of the late 80s and early 90s but it is most defintely not true of the US military nor of the NATO forces that I have served with.

[jefleshman]

See USMC MOM

I do not make sense either sometimes! LOL

Yes the question mark thing. Sometimes I have found if you type in MS Word use,

1. Font: Times New Roman
2. Font size: 12

It sometimes works.

[brentcox4]

President Obama, if you have learned anything in your life please remember Viet Nam, and end our occupation now. We do not belong in the middle of this civil war. It is time to return home and rebuild our own nation.

Please do this now.

[jefleshman]

AOC

No not at all well said. One persons hero maybe another persons terrorist. It is all about individual perception!

[AOCGUY]

Fleshman - Not sure what your point is. Of course you are correct - I suppose that the British Army thought American Revolutionaries were terrorists as did the Japanese of my father on Bataan during WWII. But when of soldier walks away from combat with the Bronze Star (I know that is an exaggeration, but it happened a lot in both Viet Nam and Desert Storm) then the value of that medal is reduced. Think abut this week?s controversy over our President receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. I am not denigrating anyone?s including yours or my service. I am just saying that when you consider everyone in uniform a hero how do you identify those that truly demonstrated heroics above and beyond what most of us have and continue to do.

[fss2009]

They are NOT heroes... they are pawns for the war machine... minions for the oil industry, and each as expendable as a barrel of oil.

[jefleshman]

fss

Would you rather us come home then? All the services men and women come back to the USA?

[USMC-Mom]

"They are NOT heroes"
What? Are you nuts.
You people who don't support our troops either have no heart or your on drugs.

[Sloughfoot]

December 7, 1941 threw a naive, self serving Nation into the fore front of World conflict. A role deemed neccessary for our survival by one generation after another. I have been alive for most of it and the dreaded "Cold War" of the 50s and early 60s was the most peaceful of times. Without a draft the burden of defending this Nation against enemies is real or imaginary rests upon the shoulders a very few. A sword once drawn is difficult to sheath!

[pickaguitar1]

YES WE CAN!

[jefleshman]

I know there are many variations of this poem and many discussions on its origin but it is worth posting as it directly relates to the article written. Freedom is not free and you truly do not understand the full meaning behind them until you lost the Freedoms you once took for granted.

It is the men and women in the service of our country. NOT THE REPORTER. Who has given us the freedom of the press.

It is the men and women in the service of our country. NOT THE POET. Who has given us the freedom of speech.

It is the men and women in the service of our country. NOT THE POLITICIANS. That ensures our right to Life. Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

IT IS THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY. Who salutes the flag. Who serves beneath the flag. And whose coffin is draped by the flag.

[jefleshman]

Fink

Dont you ?claim you are a humanitarian? and you advocate and believe in Gandhi?s teachings?

The Nation, I am from (by the way in case you did not know. I am an American), has this thing called The Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill or Rights. History has already answered your questions or offer of a discussion. No discussion needed. Thank you for asking and reading my post.

[finkfust]

OK, since you can't think of anyone I'll go first - John Milton's treatise condemning censorship, Areopagitica (1644).

Perhaps you can tell us more about "the men and women in the service of our country" (actually originally written as "the soldier" - you deliberately misquoted!) who fought for freedom of the press earlier than 1644............ or perhaps instead you will admit that you didn't bother think first about the reality of that absurd 'poem', almost certainly written by a Marine Corps chaplain....... who of course would be completely unbiased!

[hungry1968-16]

I'm very sorry that this troop died, as I am with all of our fallen soldiers.

That being said, why does CBS use the headline to this story, that makes it sound like the Marine and Obama were old friends from way back in the day, when in reality, he only met Obama once?


CBS: why are you sensationalizing this marine's death, for a headline? Are you THAT desperate?