Military Families Mourn 3,000th Troop Death, Participate in Nationwide Vigils and Call on Congress to End the Iraq War

WASHINGTON - December 29 - On the eve of the 3,000th troop death, the next horrific milestone in the Iraq war, Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), an organization of over 3,100 military families opposed to the war in Iraq, calls on the 110th Congress to honor the fallen and prevent further deaths by taking action to end the Iraq war.

“We will mourn the 3,000th troop death as we have mourned all the tragic and needless deaths that have come before, and cry with the families who, like mine, will now know the un-ending pain of losing a loved one to a war that should never have happened,” said Gilda Carbonaro of Bethesda, Maryland, whose son and only child Sergeant Alessandro Carbonaro, died on May 10, 2006 from wounds he suffered from an IED explosion six weeks into his second deployment to Iraq. “Through our tears, pain and grief we say ‘No More!’ It is past time to end a war that should never have started.”

“We weep with each passing day, as three or more U.S. troops and countless Iraqi children, women and men lose their lives in a war based on lies,” said Anne Chay of Andover, Massachusetts, whose 19-year-old son is currently serving with the Army in Baghdad. “President Bush talks about sending more troops – we know that strategy will only mean more lives lost. It is now up to Congress to use their power of the purse and cut off the funds that allow this war to continue. There is enough money already appropriated to bring my son and all of our troops out quickly and safely, with the gear, equipment and supplies they will need for this redeployment.”

Members of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), and their chapter Gold Star Families Speak Out (GSFSO), will be participating in nationwide vigils to commemorate the 3,000th U.S. troop death. On January 3rd and 4th MFSO and GSFSO members will travel to Washington, D.C. to call on the incoming 110th Congress to act swiftly and decisively to prevent further deaths and any more horrific milestones by de-funding and ending the war in Iraq.