soldier.jpgSince we’re talking about politics, I was watching the news last night, and of course, what else is all over the news than the death of 4,000 soldiers in Iraq. And no matter how harsh this is going to sound, here’s my opinion: it’s the path one chose, therefore needs to complete it. (Please note that the following lines do not have anything to do with my opinion on the war in Iraq.)

Everyone is talking about all the young ones that fell, well, you know what, that’s what they chose (just like any other job, you have to do it no matter what…actually, in a normal job you can quit if you don’t like/agree with something, but in the military…the point being that you need to think three times before taking this one). They had the chance of not enrolling if they would have gone to college…and parents should have known to better advise them if they didn’t want to end up crying their hearts out one day (I would actually start crying when this decision would be taken). Here’s why: once you enroll as a soldier your life is being transfered in the hands of the government - they can send you anywhere they want at any time they want (that’s why you sign those papers). So regardless of your opinion, your government has the right/law in hand to go to war anytime, therefore ‘your soldier’ will end up where they put him/her. Yes, I understand that it is hard to lose someone, but you should have considered that before - your child’s life will be never safe (he/she’s a soldier for God’s sake!) So, I would suggest instead blaming the government, start at the root. You could say ‘well, my kid decided on that’, well, dear, at that age he/she is not in his/her full brain aptitude, so you as a parent have the obligation to give advice and lay out on the table all the pros and cons of such a drastic and life changing decision.

If we are talking about a spouse, well, it’s the same thing - you knew what you’re getting into (but I guess love is blind indeed). Your spouse is a soldier, so you should consider that one day he/she might not return home. I can’t even imagine how hard would be to have a family with a soldier, and one day you learn this awful news…your kids will grow up without a father/mother. The good part is that you live in a society where multiple marriages and divorces are acceptable, so I would think you get through rough times pretty well (I didn’t even see Americans wearing black except the funeral - in Romania it’s 40 days…yes, you are actually mourning the person you cared for so deeply and pray for them…but again, we’re talking about religion, which is, just like education, at the bottom of the list in this culture…and then we wonder why Osama hates the West with passion and calls it ‘the evil’).

You know what, I am actually surprised by the death toll number (especially when dealing with a smart and resourcefull adversary). I would say we are standing pretty well- this is a war after all, a war that has been going on for a few years now, so…let’s remember how many died in past wars…

Aside concluding remarks: Everything these fellow soldiers do is very much appreciated by anyone in this country and around the globe (…regardless to what I’ve just stated, which has nothing to do with this conclusion…just making sure nobody takes it the wrong way).