Kalispell soldier killed in Iraq, family says

[seemslikeadream]

By the Associated Press

POLSON -

Kane Funke, 20, was killed in combat late Thursday by an "incendiary device," his aunt, Kathy Funke of Polson, said.

The family was notified by the military of his death, but planned to meet with Marine officials Saturday for more details. Kathy Funke said relatives were told it could take up to 10 days for his body to be returned.


Kathy Funke said her nephew spoke with his mother, Stephanie Funke, two days ago and told her he was scheduled for a trip home in two weeks.

"Now he's coming back, but not the way we wanted him to," Kathy Funke said.

Survivors also include a younger sister.

Kane Funke's rank was not immediately known, but relatives said he joined the Marines last year and went to Iraq this winter.

more
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/08/14/news/local/news04.txt

[markses]

1. Very Strange: The Marines have not announced any KIAs in Najaf since 8/6

Which is to say, one week ago today, just when the fighting started. Neither has the DoD (Joshua Bunch and Roberto Abad). The most recent Marine deaths were two Marines killed in a helicopter accident, 8/8. And yet this story is from a family claiming a Marine was killed in hostile action on 8/12?

So what's the deal? Here's the deal, in my opinion:

We already know that the Marines stopped reporting the means and location of their KIAs. Have they now - because of the heat of the Najaf battle - ceased reporting their KIAs altogether? We have here a confirmed Marine KIA, with a name, that has not been listed by the DoD in any of their releases. A very dangerous thing is going on. Of course, this shed light on the strange disjunction between the many reports of "fierce fighting" in Najaf and almost complete lack of KIAs coming out of that engagement. I think the Marines are withhlding KIA reporting until they feel the area has stabilized. This would be precedent. It may also end up with the DoD reporting "27 KIAs last week" - or some other such horrendous number.

Brace yourselves. I don't think we've seen the cost from this Najaf business just yet.

[NMDemDist2]

2. well we expected this didn't we? we knew they would try to hide the

true cost of men and money

[BrotherBuzz]

3. Chilling, just chilling

I don't disagree with your assessment, yet I don't know what to think of it at the same time...it's very disturbing.

[saigon68]

6. Very strange indeed

I have differed with a number of posters here about this concept in the past. I have seen deaths parceled from one bad day and spread over several days.

This is a new and ominous turn if you are right. It illustrates that the Armed services really are out to be a branch of the NEOCON cabal

[bahrbearian]

9. When we are told that the Military doesn't do Body Counts

But now we get insurgent body count,,WTF,, who's bodies don't we count.

[moobu2]

4. sad

This graph is American deaths over time ...ends on 8/9/04

[Barrett808]

5. Updated graph of US military deaths (12 Aug 2004)

http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/USfatalities.html

[saigon68]

7. "BRING EM ON" shouted the AROUSED, CLUELESS CHIMPANZEE

"Just wait until you see me at "GROUND ZERO" ", he boasted.

[Barrett808]

8. On track to cross 1000 around mid-September

A couple of weeks ago I plotted a couple of extrapolations, which predicted that we'd cross the 1000 mark sometime between 15 Aug and 15 Sep.

Thanks, George.

[Mari333]

10. Just kids...

[fsbooks]

11. Another approach to graphing...