This Iraqi child, standing in the rubble of her bedroom destroyed by American shells, isn't throwing flowers.
American soldiers justify themselves by saying "the terrorists hide amongst the people." Of course, the "terrorists" ARE the people of Iraq. They aren't "hiding" there. They live there.
Soldiers tell themselves what they have to tell themselves in order to stay alive. Soldiers tell themselves what they have to tell themselves to keep from going crazy. They tell themselves these things, but 25% of troops returning from Iraq suffer PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). They tell themselves they're killing "terrorists", but deep down inside, they know the truth. They can't hide from the truth. They live the truth, every day. And it chews them up inside.
I'd talk more, but American Idol is coming up. If I don't find out who Simon insults today, why... why... gosh, it'll be just the end of the world! We gotta have our priorities straight after all. Why should I bother my beautiful mind when none of my immediate family is in Iraq? It's time to clap harder, harder I say! Dear Leader says so, and Dear Leader loves me and wants only the best for me!
-- Badtux the Snarky Penguin
Boy oh Boy, who did Simon insult?
ReplyDeleteGood post, by the way. Yes, the terrorists are the locals. They would like the illegal aliens to get out.
Didn't "we" think this would only take a small amount of time, when the leader decided on this path?
I guess "we" learned differently. Unfortunately, it's the locals that have had to live and die with the most loss. That poor little girl might not even make it to adulthood. That's a very sad picture.
Agreed that the PTSD has aflicted many of the troops, but as one Vietnam Vet told me, he didn't get any Agent Orange effects, so he didn't think any one did (this was after I told him about my cousin dying at 32 because of AO - his mother (now deceased) and father swore that was the cause of his early death).
As you say, the solders have to tell themselves what ever they need to, to get through such positions they're placed into.
i think it's a lot higher than 25 precent coming back with PTSD -- i think it's more like 95 precent -- leaving 5 percent without a conscious....
ReplyDelete