Provide reminders of fallen soldiers

With the president calling up 30,000 troops and an estimate of $30 billion, I think that instead of the "usual" ornaments on the White House Christmas tree that there should be 30,000 "toy soldiers" with the name of each servicemen being called up attached to the ornament as a reminder to the administration and the people of this country that each toy soldier is a real person with a family and hopes and dreams for the future.

Also, there should be little "toy coffins" with a toy soldier with the date of their service and death to represent the 6,000 men and women who have already died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. And on top of this tree, a big blue peace star to remind Obama that he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thirty billion dollars would be better off given to the people in this country to help them pay their bills and to feed the hungry and to build schools and to stop teen turf wars and violence in our cities. These wars are destroying the fabric of our society. the divorce rate in the military is skyrocketing.

The youth in this country are becoming more dysfunctional from the breakdown in families. Breaking up families because of military commitments is another factor in the demise of our country.

Valerie Benson

Warrenville