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In Reply to: Perspective posted by Jules on August 05, 2004 at 14:48:45:
Actually, I may feel more comfortable following discussion of the Iraq War topic at Movingon precisely because it is of such immediate importance to your generation, the people who must directly bear the burden.
I can bear witness to the fact that in your generation--as in mine during Viet Nam--there are young people feel strongly about the need to fight for a cause they believe in and have enlisted in the regular army for that reason. At the same time, there are young people who didn't bank on getting an extended tour of duty in a war zone when they enlisted in the reserve army two years ago. History has repeated itself.
War is never a good thing. Dealing with the realities of war is extremely difficult, even for those who support the policies that led us into our current armed conflict. If you oppose this war, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that many people who support it are also suffering, losing family members, or coming home missing limbs. I don't have the heart to tell anyone who serves in the military that their sacrifices have been in vain. If someone who has made the sacrifice war requires comes to that conclusion s/he was asked to serve an unjust cause, I also don't have the heart to call that person a traitor.
