Thomas Daschle: “we have received word of four more reservists killed in Iraq and Kuwait over the past week. They are the 18th, 19th…”

“we have received word of four more reservists killed in Iraq and Kuwait over the past week. They are the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st reservists who have made the ultimate sacrifice during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and numerous others have been wounded. Four other reservists have died this year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Their deaths offer a stark reminder of how our military functions today. A National Guard or Reserve member is more likely to serve on active duty than at any other time in our nation's history. In fact, reservists have been called to support every military operation since Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, whether it was peacekeeping in the Balkans, defending our Nation's airspace after the September 11th attacks, or neutralizing the Baathist regime in Iraq. These troops work hard to stay prepared for the time when their Nation calls, and they are eager to prove themselves when summoned to active duty. Nonetheless, we have been demanding more and more of them, and it's time that we as a Nation considered what we can give back.”