A Wedding Made in Iraq

I don’t think this is the wedding picture this couple had in mind when they were engaged before the young man was sent to Iraq.

One of the Republican presidential candidates said during the debate that a few thousand U.S. troops have been wounded in Iraq. The official count is actually almost 25,000. How many more young men have to be disfigured like this before this unnecessary war comes to an end?

Author: Laurence Vance

Laurence Vance holds degrees in history, theology, accounting, and economics. He has written and published twelve books and regularly contributes articles and book reviews to both secular and religious periodicals.

48 thoughts on “A Wedding Made in Iraq”

  1. i am willing to marry my baby if he comes home from iraq like that. he would still be the same on th inside. good luck to the soldiers. i am pround to a millitary man’s girl!

    1. A commendable response indeed! However, what I do fear as a vet is if such support will be rendered in the future because many people simply forget as indicated when triple-amputee Max Cleland was defeated in his bid for reelection to the senate by a man who was deferred because of a high school football injury. I would appreciate your comments on the article by Mike Rodgers in Tokyo “Oh, what a lucky man…..”

  2. hey chris,,,,yeah , its not the perfect wedding . but that marine was wounded and appears that way so your ignorant ass can say what you did…..you should thank those who give you the right to speak. Or would you rather move to Iraq and become a citizen. ill pay for you to move. its people like you who are making this once strong country into a place of bitches and over sensitve people. The man ,,,MAN in this picture should be thanked by us all. I was in iraq for two years, i promise you my friend , youd never make it there!

    1. Iwish those who started this war were as well supportive of it as this vet is enough to make a trip to the nearest recruiting office? As a navy vet who served in the Pacific during World War 2 what does surprise me about this war in Iraq is this lack of such patriotic motivation by such exuberant war supporters.

  3. I personally know this marine. I was in Iraq with him and I remember the day this happened. it was right before christmas when the car bomb hit thier truck. His name is tyler ziegel and he is probably one of the most happiest and most joyful person I know. If you saw the real wedding pictures you would see how happy he is and his wife. They are still together and as happy as ever

      1. tyler recently passed away he slipped on some ice on his driveway hitting his head.

  4. This makes me so sad. To think that these men have to endure these difigurations after giving their service to their country. However, I’m happy that he’s still happy with his wife.

    1. Does anyone know if they are still married? Viewing this and reading an article by “Mike Rogers in Tokyo”, “Oh, what a lucky man” is upsetting though i did serve in the Pacific during World War 2.

        1. Hi Ed: I was wondering if you linked this disturbing photo to an article written by “Mike Roger in Tokyo” if the Bush gang would use it to stimutlate recruitments? Steve

      2. The marriage lasted less than a year. Not surprising when you see the look on her face in that wedding puture.

  6. Wow, that is so terrible, i so greatly prey for that man and for the rest of our U.S. troops fighting in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, i hope this war ends someday.

  7. My up armour humvee was hit by an EFP this past June and I am still on medical hold. It’s an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to welcome wounded guys and girls (like myself) back home. To shame those who are wounded because of the love they HAVE for their country is pathetic and deserves immediate explosion over to the Shit, and I don’t mean a FOBIT MOS… I’m an infantryman and once I hopefully REFRAD and re-class, I’ll be working at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, or at Ft. Bragg, NC, for the Wounded Warrior Program.

  8. Aww thats really sad. If my bf came back from Iraq like that I don’t think I could marry him just because it would make me sad, yeah he would still be the same person and id still love him but it would hurt to see him like that. I admire her for going through with it even though she doesn’t look to happy about it.

  9. i feel bad for this guy. When i sign up for the Army i pray this will never happen to me. Does anyone know if he’ll ever grow his hair back and start to look better, o r will he stay the same????????

  10. Umm “The official count is actually almost 25,000…” I would love to know where this “offical” count came from. I understand its anti-war propaganda, and you have to twist it to fit what you believe, but come on. Cant you at least type into google and find the real number of american troops deaths in Iraq? You are just like the “the Republican presidential candidate…” and out and out lieing. Accoriding to any of the military links only 4,182 have died…According to any of the civilian counts its 4,181. Thats pretty close so I would say its one or the other…yet 25k that you suggest seems to be only supported by other anti-war sites. Some anti-war sites go as far as saying 100k troops are dead. Your own counter at the top of the page even claims 4,181 deaths…so where are the other 20,819 deaths at?

    Its sad that you use dead American soldiers for propaganda. I hate anyone who uses dead Americans for political crap.

    1. ur a fuken idiot pappy!! all that crap you wrote is thrown right out the door…you should no longer post on websites because u are worth nothing. if you read what he wrote on his page, it says WOUNDED!!!!!! you are going on and on about deaths, but it says wounded. dang people like you bug me!! and im sure more than just me. u should never have wasted your time getting on this site..your a disgrace! it seems to me that you are using dead americans for political crap, because noone even brought up dead americans, except you! so look in the mirror..you probably thought u were all cool when you typed that paragraph of nonsense!! so “officially” you should be banned from here, and dont come back!! so come on..you can at least read the information the person posted on this site!!! idiot!

  11. ok the war has lasted a long time, yes we have lost alot of ppl, yes but does that give us the right to give up on the others who are still there people die every day from uncalled for violence like in africa and NAM we go to help them out we know the risk and the job we take could kill us but we do it anyway b/c it is the right thing to do unlike you anti war type yes no war would be nice but to stop something that has already started you must join in and finsh it. if you think it is right to sit back and watch the war on TV and talk S*** about the people who saved your a** from 1775 to 2008 go right ahead but next time the people ask where is our military at think did i post some BS about the war and when we dont show up hard love you F***ed us so we will do the same

  13. You may SUGGEST this is a "marriage made in heaven," and you may FEEL for this man's plight and you may "have been in Iraq with him,." IN FACT I can see the "before" photos and it appears he WAS a decent looking man.

    This is HIGHLY unfortunate for him. I guess as a soldier getting wounded or killed is a fact of life. However, MORALLY you might not agree with any suggestions that this marriage will remain FOREVER, but GET REAL…come back in a couple of years and let's see if this will last.

    Guilt, empathy, concern, etc. are NOT reasons to get married and frankly even though "love is on the inside and he may very well be a beautiful person," in the REALITY based world that SHIT don't fly.

    Poor dude, but anyone want to put money up that this marriage will last I only say "how much you got."
    Anyone who DENIES this is living in a dream world in fact I would say BOTH these people have discussed what such a life will entail.

  14. The couple in the picture above Tyler and Rene Ziegel are now divorced. I'm sorry their marriage did not work out. I wish them both the best

  16. The War must go on. Fox News Says so. Just kidding. Someone show me a declaration of war through congress. Then maybe I will support it. Until then its an illegal police occupation. I also support our troops. Bring them home now!! RON PAUL REVOLUTION 2012.

  17. Someone said, he's served his country. No he hasn't, his country was never in jeopardy in the first place. He served the country he loved and the very same country failed him.

  18. everyone should be glad they can even post this stuff. my older brother served in iraq. and is now in afganistain.

  20. This pic is evidence of Deept and real love
    but in same time it is evidence that America is goinf to end

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