Why We Fight

Yesterday I returned from a long Thanksgiving weekend at home in Ohio. It was rather nice to go home and see family and friends, and it is always hard to tell everyone goodbye and make the drive back to Ft. Campbell. We are almost a month out from leaving, and I am starting to develop many feelings about the deployment. When I was home my father suggested that many people do not understand why we fight, and he also expressed concern that I might not understand either. Sometimes I think I am too bitter about my ongoing army saga to care why we fight, but also it is understood that these feelings are crushed and swept away when I remember back to why I am doing this in the first place. Seeing my family and friends reinforces the fact that I will do anything to make sure they can live their lives in peace and without interruption. I'll be damned if I let some religious fanatic come into my country and try to hurt the people I love, or any other Americans for that matter. When I am finished being in the army I hope that there will be people looking out for my well being also.

We fight this war because it is a religious war. Terrorists are religious fanatics that disagree with Western culture, and wish to do nothing more than wipe us all off the map; they proved this on September 11, 2001. If we do not go abroad and contain these nuts then they will surely come to our soil and attack us again. This conflict will go on forever and ever because we can't get rid of all of them and they can't get rid of all of us. These jokers are intent on accelerating Armageddon, and we are intent on stopping them. Our collective efforts and continuation of suppression in the middle east will give some guarantee that we will be safe in the states.

Personally, I feel as if I have a personal vendetta against a sect of people that I've never come into contact with. I want to call them towel heads and curse them all to hell, but at the same time I try not to be stereotypical and biased. Everyone always says how they want to go to Afghanistan and shoot a terrorist in the face; I say it too. But the real question is, if I received that opportunity would I take it? I say yes. He wants to kill me. He wants to kill all Americans. So it's two in the chest, one in the head for this guy.

Who knows what would really happen, though. I've never been in the situation, and no one knows how they'd react until it happens. But as it stands, I think these people are evil, tyrannical, and deserve to die. How dare they say we are wrong and how dare they take Armageddon into their own hands, killing Americans, coalition forces from other nations, and even their own countrymen. Enough is enough.

I feel my posts are pretty dark sometimes, but I have a big job ahead of me; a big challenge, if you will. I make light of whatever I can. There is a point, however, in which feelings of the unknown take over and bring out the negative. That's partly what the whole blog process is for, kind of like a therapy session. I hope it doesn't scare anyone or make anyone think that I am some weirdo, that is furthest from my intention. War is not a pretty thing, and no matter what, all soldiers have a hand in what ultimately happens on the battlefield.

In other news, Christmas is on the way. It is still up in the air whether or not I will be able to go back to Ohio for the holidays, as it is supposedly days before we are to board a plane and leave the US of A. I'll keep my fingers crossed for sure. It makes me happy to see all the decorations going up, seeing the Christmassy commercials and hearing the christMASSY music. I watched A CHRISTMAS STORY the other night, a true classic. I really hope to get Christmas this year. I missed it last year, and will miss it next year. I just hope the army doesn't make Christmas "just another day" because I miss it so often.

I am also turning 26 soon. Is that old? Compared to a lot of the people I serve with, it is. The average age in my peer group right now is probably around 22 or 23...Not a huge difference, but it seems like some of the other guys are in a different stage of their life then I am. I had all my wild fun in college, and did all the things that I wanted to do. It makes me wonder if they know why we fight? Or why did they join the army at all? It's kind of scary because sometimes I feel that it isn't the same reason. I hope I'm wrong. I know a lot of people in the army joined because they had nothing else going for them; but I hope they are patriotic in what they do. Sometimes the stresses of military life make it hard to be a patriot...but I know that the fire in my heart will never totally burn out, and that is why I am OK with deploying. I do what I do, it is what it is. What doesn't kill me will only making me stronger. When I get back I will be rock solid, like petrified !@#$. Sorry, I think cursing gives writing character at times, but I try not do it. But if you don't it might not be as real as it should be. I just try to write like I'd speak. Anyways, the rambling process has begun, so I must be going. I hope December brings you peace and joy. Don't take these times for granted.

In one month we will set foot in strange lands, and delve into the unknown. Go big or go home, right? Balls deep.

-J