Thursday, September 20, 2012

Only the Dead have seen the end of War

***WARNING: slightly political inside!*** I think I have decided to not re-enlist when my contract is up in 2015.
There are varying reasons for this, but one of the most underlying reasons is that I am tired of war. I have been deployed twice, and I can not figure out why this war is not over yet. In fact, the more I read and watch the news it seems like this war is only going to keep going on - just in different locations. Iran, Libya, Egypt? It seems that as one conflict ends another just flares up in it's place.

I've put my time in and I am really tired of giving up my life to a government that can not figure itself out. The senators and congressmen give themselves pay raises but decry the wealthy whilst they sit in cushy offices and the soldiers who are deployed live in substandard housing, in hostile environments, and are eligible for foodstamps. Don't get me wrong, I am proud of my service, but I just don't think that I can continue to serve a government that would rather cut the pay of soldiers than that of themselves just to pass a budget.

It seems everyday that I hear or read about this or that happening to the Jews in Israel, but what about the Palestinian Christians who are being persecuted by the Israeli government just because they are Palestinian? Why doesn't our government offer aid to these individuals? Why does our government continue to aid people who are our sworn enemies? And why does our president apologize when another country attacks one of our embassies - and kills a number of Americans - on the anniversary of 9/11 instead of taking some kind of action?

So there it is, I am tired of war. I really think that I am starting to become a pacifist the older that I get. I don't think that I can standby my government and fight for my government when they make these kinds of decisions. That said, I would never take adverse actions against my country. I love my country and the citizens thereof enough to have served them. I literally put my life on the line for my country and my government failed me by showing that they do not care about my fellow soldiers who are dying for our country.

 - A worn out soldier.

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