When in the throes of war, troops find it difficult to elaborate on the bright side. The Post’s National Weekly Edition interviewed, supposedly in depth, a hundred troops in Iraq. Critics will immediately pounce on the article as skewed in order to emphasize the dark side of war. The criticism would be unwarranted and unrealistic even though Post showed a picture of an American soldier seated midst Iraqi school children in a classroom built by US troops — admittedly safely ensconced in a police academy.
Nonetheless, the troops had a chance to look at the bright side as though writing home so as not to worry the families; but few did. Fighting men and women are not going to lie to themselves and see the war through rose-colored glasses; after all, they certainly do not want to appear as rear-echelon “pansies.” Most muscularly tell it like it is — even allowing for bravado exaggerations — with such key phrases as:
“Don’t trust these people...”
“Five rockets within a hundred yards...still have my feet.”
[Resigned] “To the fact you might not make it back home.”
“You’re constantly worried.”
“Blood all over me from loading the truck with bodies.”
“Have no problem going back...But hard to explain that to fiancée [and] parents.”
The positive is generally articulated by “support” troops:
“The [Iraqi] kids [and] parents were extremely friendly.” civil affairs officer
“We love those people [Iraqis]....They deserve to have free speech and vote to live freely... without fear.” Navy airman technician.
“You [an Iraqi] need medical attention. ‘No [he said] I need a job.” humanitarian coordinator.
During WWI the home front gathered pessimistically, with their pennies, round the newsboy selling extras in order to check out the latest casualty list due the horrendous trench battles. Still, there were “Yankee Doodle” parades and cheers on Armistice Day.
WWII home front neighbors choked back tears in passing a windows with gold stars. Still, there were innumerable images of the kindness of American troops toward the liberated, along with positive Hollywood war films.
Twenty thousand American casualties surely outweigh the construction of a school in spite of its symbolizing some small comfort that sacrifices were not in vain. War ineluctably clouds the sunny side of war.
Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: March 29, 2006.
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