Those who have never seen the horror, heard the sounds and smelled the carnage seem to be those who call for war.

The somewhat real-time pictures that came from the Civil War changed many minds as to the "nobility" of armed conflict, ghastly images of bloated corpses upon the fields wrenched many a strong man's stomach, films of WWI showed unprecedented slaughter and what came from WWII, although heavily edited, showed those who gave the last full measure. Vietnam brought war right in to our Living rooms, but missing were the smells that go with combat. missing was the threat of death at any moment.

War films with the likes of John Wayne taking Iwo Jima nearly singlehandedly, or Ronald Reagan on a sound-stage dropping bombs on a mock up of Berlin is what so many grew up with. The thought that people got up and walked away after the shooting was over almost seemed real. And so, the Rumsfeld's, the bush's, cheney's and Wolfowitz's all believed the old war films and ran us into a quagmire...right to the point where an old man who should know better, is willing to keep up the fight for 100 years. These, and other purveyors of war, never knew the stench of blood, mud, burning fuel, burning flesh, cordite, urine, feces and death all rolled into one terrifying moment...a stench one can taste.

Men and women went into this maelstrom, many of them were left where they lay, many others lie beneath marble, granite or brass markers. These individuals gave all they had, their families sacrificed their sons and daughters. They deserve the respect they have earned.

I hope every night that I will awaken to hear that our brothers and sisters will be returning home...those that serve today have earned the trip home.

When I posted this thread, I did not expect, nor did I want reverence for those who lie in rows beneath the markers...I only wish that people would take just a moment to remember the sacrifices made by those who are willing to make such sacrifices.

For those who sent them away on the current mission, I hold only disdain...but for those who have gone on before me, I feel the pain.