I have no names newly released. There may indeed be service men and women who have died this past week since the moon began to wane; but their names lag behind. So instead, I give you an overview of the sacrifices made on war’s altar. And yes, I feel grim this December—30,000 more will go into harm’s way and too soon.

The counts are rough, and from CNN, but in Iraq the dead include: 4,370 Americans, two Australians, one Azerbaijani, 179 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, five Georgians, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, three Latvians, 22 Poles, three Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, one South Korean, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians.

And in Afghanistan thus far, since 2001 the losses include: 927 Americans, 11 Australians, one Belgian, 236 Britons, 133 Canadians, three Czech, 28 Danes, 21 Dutch, six Estonians, one Finn, 36 French, 31 Germans, two Hungarians, 22 Italians, three Latvian, one Lithuanian, four Norwegians, 15 Poles, two Portuguese, 11 Romanians, one South Korean, 26 Spaniards, two Swedes and two Turks.

Not exactly going to fit in the lyrics of the Twelve Days of Christmas, is it?