SnTBakosFinest

I carry multiple friends in the service, as well as a cousin that is more like a brother to me, who is an army ranger. Hes been in the service for 17 years, went in as enlisted, went through officer candidate, and other training.

Since this thing has started I have pushed for him, and been more then happy to jump down someones throat when they would talk bad about our troops.

I have prayed for my friends as well as my cousin. I have now, lost a friend in this war.

When we went to afghanistan, before my cousin shipped off there I remember saying "Make some heads roll, show them why no one crosses us"

When he came home, there was a sigh of relief from the entire family, including his wife, with his newborn, who he had not gotten to see before then.

A short time went by, and then he was called again, this time, to Iraq. With a small sniper division, consisting of somewhere around 25 men. The family again, became worried.

Before he left, my dad who watched him when he was growing up said "You be careful over there." And for the first time in my life, I saw a tear come out of my dad. A man who willingly joined the Army in the 80s went to Germany, whos infantry was setup to be front lines against Russia, for a world war three scenario.

A year and a half went by, and my cousin was flown back to DC. It wasn't to go home, it was due to an injury. They would not say how it happened, or what happened. And then the family feared for more horrible news.

The day he was flown back, his entire sniper division was killed.

It was another 6 months before I could see my cousin, and the instant I did, I knew he was not the same. And for the second time, he was able to meet his newborn, with his daughter now a toddler, he had a son.

The number 4000 means quite a bit to me. The smaller numbers for myself, mean more. This effects anyone who is linked to someone serving. It takes toles on families as well. These asshole politicians running this war and this campaign on terrorism I still believe are in the wrong place, and made a mistake by going over to Iraq. It isn't a campaign to throw out dictators.
Its now been 7 years, and the man who we were origionally after is still running around hiding in caves.

The mission in Iraq was declared accomplised by our "leader" if you want to call him that. Send them back to afghanistan, let them find the peice of trash who leveled two of our buildings, killed our women and children, and if the people in Iraq can't figure out how to become civilized, let them fight.

These people in the middle east have been going at each other for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Over land, over religious beliefs, over anything.
We can't resolve land issues, that was proven when we handed the jews israel and war broke out. And you can kill as many people off as you want, but you cannot kill off someones beliefs, that has been proven time after time.

War and militaries were never designed to stay somewhere to create peace and democracy, unless you are going to conquer the land, and make it your own.

Militaries were designed to go in, destroy anything you can, kill anyone who crosses your path the wrong way, and be on your way.

What are we trying to accomplish? Preventing a civil war? A revolution? The US would not be what it is without a civil war and without a revolution. Most great countries wouldn't be. Let them go about the process. Do NOT involve our troops who have be told they have accomplished their mission.

4000 lives. 4000 people dead who have families and friends back here. Over a million others. Why continue sacrificing their lives for a job well done?

Its time to move on.

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