Prometheus 6

"With so many more patriots to honor, we've been forced to extend the memorial past the entrance to the Washington Monument and into the southbound lane of 14th Street," Masterson said. "Blocking traffic is a small price to pay, however, considering the debt of gratitude we owe our fallen soldiers. And we're confident Americans will continue to support us when we build the monument's east wing directly through the Capitol Building next month."...

"The goal is to come up with cost-effective, creative solutions to respectfully eulogize our fallen heroes," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who cited a recent decision to construct a part of the monument out of papier-mâché, and another proposal to type the names of newly fallen soldiers on sturdy index cards, which would be kept in a box near the memorial. "So we urge the president to sign our bill to allow the ABMC to strip marble slabs from the steps of the seldom-visited Jefferson Memorial in order to help complete this timeless monument."

"Because our grandchildren should be honored just as much for their service in Iraq," she added. 

Iraq War Memorial Planners Forced To Revise Length Again
April 9, 2008 | Issue 44•15 

WASHINGTON—In the wake of the 4,000th U.S. military death in Iraq, the American Battle Monuments Commission announced Monday that, for the fifth time in the last 12 months, it will resume construction on the poignant final tribute to the brave men and women who continue to give their lives in the Iraq War.

According to ABMC spokesperson Charles Masterson, ground was first broken for the memorial on the National Mall in May 2003, shortly after President Bush declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq. Since the completion of the preliminary monument, however, nearly two dozen extensions have been added to the original structure to properly commemorate subsequent casualties in the conflict.

"After the president's 'Mission Accomplished' speech aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, we took our cue and immediately began erecting a touching, lasting memorial to those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in order to bring a swift end to the war," Masterson said. "And, just a few months later, we incorporated a second stirring section into the monument to venerate the additional heroes who gave their lives defending freedom."

"At present, there is no time frame for completing the monument," Masterson added.

Masterson maintained that the memorial is a fitting paean to the Americans who continue to die in Iraq, while admitting that there have been some unforeseen spatial challenges presented by the rapidly advancing monument.

"With so many more patriots to honor, we've been forced to extend the memorial past the entrance to the Washington Monument and into the southbound lane of 14th Street," Masterson said. "Blocking traffic is a small price to pay, however, considering the debt of gratitude we owe our fallen soldiers. And we're confident Americans will continue to support us when we build the monument's east wing directly through the Capitol Building next month."