I Hate War
Preface: This isn't a cheery or sexy post - in fact, I know it's quite depressing. I am upset and I need to vent. Please just skip it if you're looking for something erotic or hypnotic. I'm working on a couple of pieces like that and will post them later this week. You've been forewarned.
I hate war. Yes, I know - who doesn't? The war in Iraq is such a horrible thing - people dying or being injured everywhere. It's so far away that I think it's easy to let thoughts of it slip to the back of our mind and not worry about it very much. Easy, that is, unless you have family there. I live in a state where there are two major military bases and three coast guard stations. I'm not sure how many reserve units there are here but I know there are several. All this from a state with only four million people. Here, the military is a way of life for a large number of people. I do not know very many people at all who don't have at least one family member in Iraq.
My family has three loved ones there. TL, a young woman in her early 30s, is a medic. She's right there in the thick of things. We worry about her a lot and about what would happen to her little 5 year old son should something happen to her. Then there's B. He's three months younger than me and we were always close growing up. He's driving a Humvee delivering supplies in Iraq. He's perpetually a target from what I hear. Lastly there's T. Early 30s like TL with a four year old son. T is an MP (military police) and is right in the thick of things as well.
A little while ago we got word that T has been wounded. The injuries to his abdomen and leg were severe enough that he's in surgery right now but we don't know any more than that at the moment. His wife is away from home and out of cell phone range so she doesn't even know yet. So sad. If you pray, please remember T and any others injured during this attack.
I'm not a genius. I don't know how to stop this madness. What scares me most is thinking that no one else knows how either. Our families are in harm's way and so are the poor Iraqi people. If we pull out, heaven knows what will happen to them. If we stay, things like this will continue to happen. Hopefully someone in power knows what to do. Trusting them with the lives of people we love is so hard to do right now.
I hate war.
Labels: Personal
posted by Lady Julia @ 2:04 PM
9 Comments
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9 Comments:
Julia we are very sad to hear of this. Your family has had so much to deal with in the past few months. Know that our prayers are with you. ginger attempted to call you but could not reach you but we did want to tell you to be sure and let us know if there is anything you need.
Thank you for this post. A few weeks ago I watched a program on CNN called Combat Hospital. It followed a group of medical personnel in Iraq.
I was moved by dedication of the doctors and nurses caring for the wounded but was also numbed by the senselessness of the carnage. Our soldiers are so young and there are so many Iraqi children getting caught in the crossfire as well.
Like many, I don’t really have an answer. There seems to be no leadership, just empty slogans and a lack vision.
Mostly I just pray. I know your family will be in the thoughts of many of your readers in the coming days.
Dearest Lady Julia,
when i will pray tonight, i will pray for Yours too, i have good relationship with GOD and You will see that they are gonna be in better conditions soon.
WAR to me is the worst, but i may say that HERe in Venezuela we are not in WAR but we have almost the same numbers of dead people than Iraq, now Venezuela is very insecure but retorning to You, i am clear that the best dominance is the one that You give to us, warm, safe and lovely.
with love
servant john
Thinking of you and your family and also sharing your frustration and anger.
That war still exists demonstrates how little humanity has really progressed.
That we can then say a war is "Just" makes me despair.
You are right to recognize that there is disaster in both staying and leaving. I know people in Iraq too, they are on the barbecue pit until we have a change of leadership, world leaders might then have a fig leaf to hide behind when negotiating through back door channels, but not with this President. He has slapped too many faces, the wisest and most experienced at home he ignored, he dismissed our friends abroad as weak, the UN as corrupt, and publicly slapped the tyrants in the face when he should have continued holding the quiet knife to there back until they turned. If we want peace then we must act, not react, self sufficiency in energy polices, peace corp programs ... etc, let people know us through our generosity not our needs and demands. Personally I am furious, I saw the special on the disabled vets too, I am a vet. My rant. Hope your family and friends return safe.
Add me to the list of HATING war. This is truly ridiculous and so many innocent people caught in the middle.
I keep thinking we should put one group on one side of the river, and the other group on the other... I know that is simplistic and too easy, but I noticed Biden thinking the same solution in the paper yesterday.
Add my prayers too... it does touch so many of us.
War sucks. The WWII veterans I've heard from, both in person and documentary interviews, say the same thing: it's so terrible that this must never happen again. Or to quote somebody or other, "Hell hath no fury like a non-combatant."
The fall of an empire is a very messy and painful business. My fear is that this is merely the beginning of a long slide.
Thank you all for your support.
Dear Julia, I am so sorry for your families people in iraq.
I know that many people in USA are against this war and against your president as well.
Myself i do not understand why your goverment is in this war, i asume that it is for the might over the oil reserves only.
I am happy to live in germany, in a land that doesn't interact in Iraq war.
It is awful that people are forced to go the military just because they have no other chance on a good payed job. what high price do they pay. poor young men and women.
Fact is, that they began the iraq war after 9-11, to fight the "axe of evil" like bush formulated.
But till today they could not prove a relationship between bin laden and saddam.
It was in my eyes, just an excuse to get an acceptance for this war.
why don't Us-civils not demonstrate against this war, why don't they go on strike,
why dont soldiers rather go to prison than to iraq.
I admit, i am not in your situation, i just know it from the newspaper, so tell me if i am wrong, but: I would never go to an army that invades other countries. our grandfathers have made great mistakes, following the worng leader (hitler), and i am still branded by this.
In germany, every boy has to go to the army, or he has to work in a hospital, in stead of.
i decided the last. and i was and am till happy with this decision.
Your young men in Iraq do not want to kill, they want to help, but they are small figures in a very bad game, in my opinion.
Hugs!
Pascal
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