Monday, June 11, 2007
Adam,
Trust me, I’m calm. I stayed calm through finding out that your base had been attacked by reading a news report at work, through waiting two hours to find out if you were OK via e-mail, and through waiting another day to hear your voice. By the time we talked I was just too exhausted to hold it in anymore.
I almost hate the saying “We’re at war, casualties happen” more than the Army’s “That’s just the way it is.”
Maybe it’s because in some ways, we’re not at war. I’m at war; you’re at war; the other soldiers and their families are at war. But I get so pissed off that everybody can go about their normal lives like nothing’s happening. Sometimes I question how people who haven’t experienced war can say they are for or against this one.
These past couple of days I’ve thought a lot about terrorists and their use of fear. There’s been lot’s of talk about how extremist groups want us to be afraid, but why? What do they get out of it?
The Sept. 11 attacks caused plenty of fear, and it pulled us into Afghanistan. And I’m willing to bet it’s that same fear that lead people to believe there were “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq.
Before this weekend, I thought maybe if all the groups involved in this mess could find a way to communicate better, there could be peace. But when true fear grabbed me, I couldn’t care less. I wanted the the U.S. to stay and fight and win, and the insurgents could work out their issues in a place hotter than Iraq.
If the extremist groups want the U.S. to stay out of the Middle East, this fear tactic doesn’t seem to be working out so great for them.
Those medics must be some amazing people. I don’t know if I could put my all into helping people who I knew wanted me dead. But I guess that’s one of those things you don’t know about yourself until your in the situation. It’s just nice to hear that even in the midst of tragedy, there is some goodness in the world.
Speaking of good deeds, I think my phone card collection was a success. Nearly every one who donated said to me, “I know this isn’t a lot.” Well, all those “little” donations added up to more than $1,200.
I’m expecting to get some calls from you. :)
I love you,
Sarah
