His killing had no purpose, no reason, no rhyme

What with all the attention payed to Britney's child custody issues, an important issue seems to have been forgotten lately:

As of Monday, Oct. 29, 2007, at least 3,840 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 3,129 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

But I guess that's not as important as Hillary's cackle, or . . . whatever.

The Defense Department last week identified the following U.S. military personnel killed in Afghanistan, Bahrain and Iraq:

Joshua C. Brennan, 22, of Ontario, Ore.; sergeant, Army. Brennan died Friday in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered a day earlier when his unit was attacked with a rocket- propelled grenade and small-arms fire in Korengal Valley, east of Kabul. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy.

Anamarie San Nicolas Camacho, 20, of Panama City, Fla.; seaman, Navy. She was one of two sailors shot to death Monday in their barracks in Bahrain, allegedly by a male sailor who apparently also shot himself. The suspect was in critical condition. Camacho was assigned to U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

Adam Chitjian, 39, of Philadelphia; private first class, Army. Chitjian was killed Thursday when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas.

Genesia Mattril Gresham, 19, of Lithonia, Ga.; seaman, Navy. She was one of two sailors shot to death Monday in their barracks in Bahrain, allegedly by a male sailor who apparently also shot himself. The suspect was in critical condition. Gresham was assigned to U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

David E. Lambert, 39, of Cedar Bluff, Va.; specialist, Army National Guard. Lambert was killed Friday when an improvised explosive device detonated near him in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 91st Troop Command in Blackstone, Va.

Hugo V. Mendoza, 29, of Glendale, Ariz.; specialist, Army. He was killed Thursday when his unit was attacked with a rocket- propelled grenade and small-arms fire in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, east of Kabul. Mendoza was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy.

Edward Philpot, 38, of Latta, S.C.; sergeant, Army National Guard. Philpot was killed Tuesday when the Humvee in which he was riding overturned in a noncombat- related accident near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 263rd Armor Regiment in Dillon, S.C.

Larry I. Rougle, 25, of West Jordan, Utah; staff sergeant, Army. Rougle was killed Tuesday when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire near Sawtalo Sar mountain in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy.

Robin L. Towns Sr., 52, of Upper Marlboro, Md.; staff sergeant, Army National Guard. Towns was killed Wednesday when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee in Baiji, Iraq, north of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 275th Military Police Company, 372nd Military Police Battalion in Washington, D.C.

Know what you have in common with these people? Everything.