Often times it is difficult to understand the tragedy the comes along with war. As Americans, we are so detached from the death and destruction that happens in far-off places like the Middle East — it can be hard to relate and sympathize what "those people" are going through. Y'know?

But today brings a very insightful look into how the casualties of war can affect almost every aspect of our lives. See, it isn't just the citizens of war-stricken countries who suffer, but the reporters overseas, covering the global events, are affected with hardship as well. Some of them even had to give up their summer vacations.

The events of this summer — missile launches by North Korea, the reported illness of Cuba's Fidel Castro, the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq, a new war between Israel and Hezbollah, and now a suspected terrorist plot in London to blow up U.S.-bound aircraft — have kept news outlets especially busy, ruining or postponing vacations for many journalists.

CNN's Anderson Cooper, who flew from Israel to London Friday, has been putting off his vacation "week by week, like kick the can," and plans to finally take this week off, CNN chief Jon Klein says. CNN's Miles O'Brien spent his planned vacation "dodging Katyusha rockets" in northern Israel, while Soledad O'Brien spent hers in Jerusalem and Cyprus, Klein says. "This summer has kept us on our toes."

Wow. It's sort of hard to find the words to express how we feel about this heart wrenching sacrifice. Especially when we think of all the citizens of Israel and Lebanon whose country houses are probably, like, totally destroyed.

Vacation? What vacation? [Peter Johnson, USA Today]