Rules of War
A friend sent me an email which moved me greatly. It was written by Col. Brett Wyrick, a commander of the 154th Medical Group, Hawaii Air National Guard, who is serving as a surgeon in Balad with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group. This excerpt is part of a series of email reports from Iraq that Wyrick has been sending to his father, a Vietnam-era fighter pilot, who in turn distributes them to a circle of friends and acquaintances.
The first rule of war is that young men and women die. The second rule of war is that surgeons cannot change the first rule. I think the third rule of war should be that those who have given their all for our freedom are never forgotten, and they are always honored. I wish there was not a war, and I wish our young people did not have to fight and die. But I cannot wish away evil men like Bin Laden and al-Zarqawi. These men are not wayward children who have gone astray; they are not great men who are simply misunderstood. These are cold-blooded killers and they will kill you, me, and everyone we love and hold dear if we do not kill them first. You cannot reason with these people, you cannot negotiate with these people, and this war will not be over until they are dead. That is the ugly, awful, and brutal truth.
I wish the situation was different, but it is not. Americans have two choices. They can run from the threat, deny it exists, candy-coat it, debate it, and hope it goes away. And then, Americans will be fair game around the world and slaughtered by the thousands for the sheep they have become.
Our second choice is to crush these evil men where they live and for us to have the political will and courage to finish what we came over here to do. The last thing we need here in Iraq is an exit strategy or some damn timetable for withdrawal. Thank God there was no timetable for withdrawal after the Battle of the Bulge or Iwo Jima. Thank God there was no exit strategy at Valley Forge. Freedom is not easy, and it comes with a terrible price - I saw the bill here yesterday.
The third rule of war should be that we never forget the sacrifices made by our young men and women, and we always honor them. We honor them by finishing what they came to accomplish. We remember them by never quitting and having the backbone and the guts to never bend to the yoke of oppression.
We honor them and remember them by having the courage to live free.
I wish the situation was different, but it is not. Americans have two choices. They can run from the threat, deny it exists, candy-coat it, debate it, and hope it goes away. And then, Americans will be fair game around the world and slaughtered by the thousands for the sheep they have become.
Our second choice is to crush these evil men where they live and for us to have the political will and courage to finish what we came over here to do. The last thing we need here in Iraq is an exit strategy or some damn timetable for withdrawal. Thank God there was no timetable for withdrawal after the Battle of the Bulge or Iwo Jima. Thank God there was no exit strategy at Valley Forge. Freedom is not easy, and it comes with a terrible price - I saw the bill here yesterday.
The third rule of war should be that we never forget the sacrifices made by our young men and women, and we always honor them. We honor them by finishing what they came to accomplish. We remember them by never quitting and having the backbone and the guts to never bend to the yoke of oppression.
We honor them and remember them by having the courage to live free.
*photo is from Kevin Casey/Lat
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posted by Michele @ 3:54 PM
3 Comments:
Thank you for this post Maddie. Nobody says it like someone who is there. The right people are listening to these brave men & women.
Thanks for stopping by.
i agree with you on the fact the we have to stop and distroy bin laden and that we need to honor the young men and women who have died. but i would like to know if you support iraq along with afganistan. because i thing us going to iraq was one hell of a dumb idea from the begaining.
michael p.
Michael?
Going into Iraq was a good thing. Iran and Syria have been building up terrorists camps. Sadam had been writing the checks to the Palestinean bombers, along with terrorizing his own people. We needed a major presence in the Middle East. Terrorism has been around long before 9/ll. Bush, however, is the first President who actually decided to fight it. Good for him. These terrorists were increasing in number long before we invaded Iraq. With this invasion we are destroying a lot of their cells which have been around quite awhile, along with sending them the message, we aren't afraid and we are going to take you out before you take us out. As with the bombers in England, they weren't poor Islamists, they were mostly from well to do famlies, who had the intentions of destruction long before we went into Iraq. Personally, i hope we invade Syria and Iraq and I don't care what excuse we use to do it. YOU MUST REMEMBER WHAT BUSH SAID, IF YOU HARBOR TERRORISTS YOU ARE GUILTY!
IF YOU SUPPORT TERRORISTS YOU ARE GUILTY. No not a dumb idea. I'm noticing you like the word dumb. You have a right to your opinion, but personally, I think it was a very SMART thing to do.
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