The mother of a 19-year-old Marine from Watsonville lashed out at the war in Iraq after her son died of injuries suffered as the result of enemy action in the Al Anbar province. Lance Cpl. Victor A. Gonzalez, died Wednesday from injuries received in combat, the Marine Corps said.

"Why this war . . . why? More and more young people are dying every day," his mother, Amalia Gonzalez, said Thursday. I told him, 'If this is what you want, I will support you, I just hope nothing happens,"' his mother said. "And now it has.... "I was so proud of him," his mother said. "He was so young to die."