You Do the Math

U.S.: Air strikes kill seven insurgents
Police report dozens of civilians also killed

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Air strikes have flattened insurgent safe houses used by militants linked to al Qaeda in western Iraq, the U.S. Marines told CNN Tuesday.

The air attacks near the Syrian border killed at least seven militants, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force said.

A top operative called Abu Islam was among the dead, the force said.

Police in Baghdad reported that 56 civilians were killed in the strikes.

They said police contacts in the region told them 40 civilians died in one house and 16 in another. Two children survived, they added.

Anybody else absolutely inflamed by this? "Two children survived, they added." "56 civilians killed."

But PHEW! We LEVELED THOSE FUCKING SEVEN INSURGENTS!

Is this an effective war practice that I'm not grasping? Because to me, it seems like for every one civilian that's killed as "collateral," that's irreparable damage. That can't be undone by reality TV; that can't be bought by trifling military reparations pay. That can't be mistaken for justice.

At this point, over 25,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed in this Invasion. This is not okay.

And thankfully the two children survived. But what is life to be for them? What is life to be for any of these millions of Iraqis directly affected by these kinds of actions? It's just an absurdity.