Iraq War Hits Home

I found out yesterday that my father is being deployed to Iraq. He will be serving at the US embassy in Baghdad.

This will be the third war in which he was served. It will be the second war that he has served in during my lifetime.

He has been finishing up his service career in the Army Reserves. He is in his late fifties and left active duty because he was passed over for promotion. It is clear that the military is really hurting for warm bodies.

Fortunately he is a doctor now and not a grunt like he was during the Vietnam War.

I have difficulty understanding his continued association with the military as he became a war protestor after his return from Vietnam.

My youngest brother recently joined the National Guard. I also have difficulty understanding this decision. I was not consulted.

My pacifism was confirmed when my father and my best friend were deployed to the first Gulf War. My father is being deployed again and there is a good chance that my youngest brother will serve in this latest conflict.

It is a sad thing to have to accept the potential loss of loved ones in an unjust and illegal war which does not have the support of the American people or the military and in which I personally have no faith.

If we want to get our troops out of Iraq I believe that we will need to get a Democrat into the White House.

Peace.