WARNING: EMOTIONAL CONTENT.
Memorial Day morning…
Lest we forget, with our church retreats, picnics, the beach or sleeping in,
Take a time this morning or evening to remember those who have fallen in during times of war…
Out of all the pictures I’ve seen, I think this has got to be the most riveting for me of all the pictures concerning Iraq…
The picture of a Marine’s casket (a 2nd. Lt. Cathey, who left behind his pregnant wife) as contrast to the plane and the people looking out of the window…the contrast is beautifully captured and is almost surreal.
Enough with my words. THis picture was part of a series that won the pulizter prize…reading the 19 pages, you would know why. Have tissues nearby, it is very emotional.
SOURCE:(Beware, its 10MB PDF FILE)
The picture in its context:
The American Airlines 757 couldn’t have landed much farther from the war. The plane…
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Hey Jim,
I’ve been meaning to ask what you think about the war in Iraq & Afghanistan. How do you view these conflicts. Do you support them. Feel free not to respond if it puts you in a difficult position – delete this comment if you have to.
Mike,
Some tough questions and I hope I won’t necessarily offend you. My views on Iraq and Afghanistan has not been constant the last 10 years…as a young Marine I was whole heartedly for the invasion of Iraq 100%; that was in 2003. I still have a hard time even now accepting a more liberal narrative and left leaning arguments against the war. I do think the best arguments against the war is done on more politically conservative grounds. I have mix feelings currently: I would like a more militarily isolationists foreign policy, but I do see a real threat of radical Islam; I don’t know if we should have attacked Iraq, but now that we have gone in, I’m glad that Saddam is out of the picture rather than him still being in power.
Concerning Afghanistan, I do think the fight against radical Islam that wishes to harm the West is justified; my concern is that we end up fighting people and group that we might not need to fight, or even ally with the wrong groups of people. I am really worried if we are ever able to pull of Afghanistan and have the country in a stable political condition.
Overall, I am happy that Iraq is quite stable today–there was a time I even gave up hope during the Surge. I’m glad for that—for the people sake.
I am very concern about the future of Afghanistan.
Hi Jim. Thanks for replying. No you haven’t affended me – ever. I can’t comment from your perpsective as a soldier but (easy for me to say) I thought going into Iraq was the right thing to do. Though as you say with so many non-combatants being killed it really is a tough call. My only fear from day one was that it would actually do the reverse of what was aimed at (or did it?) and end up installing an Islamic State. Sadaam Hussein was an evil man and a nutcase but he generally left the Christians alone. Where it will end up for the Church I do not know. Though Born4Battle gives another sperspective on that.
I believe (and I could be way off here) that where the West has become involved in Muslim countries we (the West) have ended up, or will end up installing a more radical Islam than was there before. This is what will happen in Syria, heading towards in Egypt & Lybia. And Western leaders shouldn’t kid themselves into thinking that Islam has any other agenda than world domination.
Thanks again for your reply. I have huge for you a s a soldier (and as a man) and your fellow soldiers.
That could have been huge anything – but it sholud have read respect!
I think we do agree more than we disagree here!
I spent 15 months in Iraq training the Iraqi Army. Watched a dozen soldiers get baptized one Sunday morning on an Iraqi parade field.
Wow…were these Iraqi soldiers getting baptized or US soldiers???