A Change of Heart

The war basically meant nothing to me until my best friend joined the army my sophomore year of high school. He was a freshman in college and a recruiter from the army came and spoke to his history class. His attention was immediately caught and he felt that the school scene wasn't for him anymore and decided to join. Therefore, from talking to him on the phone and receiving emails every once in a while, I basically had my heart attached to the war. Everytime I heard that more soldiers died my heart would drop hoping that my friend was still alive. I would anxiously await until the next time I heard from him just to be reassured that he was okay. He would tell me so many crazy stories, one being how he was shot in the neck by a person standing a foot away from him, but he was okay. He told me what it was like being a soldier, what it was like in Iraq, what the people around him were like and so forth, it was just all so interesting. He was a military police officer and patrolled the area at night and by day sat on top of tanks with guns scoping out the place. He was there for three years and just got out of the army a month ago. He mentions nothing about the war now, almost as if he has left all his baggage there and no longer wants to think of the things he saw and the things that were done. A lot has changed about him, some for the better, some for the worst, which I won't explain further. However, the war really opened my eyes. We were supposed to be in Iraq with intentions of finding weapons of mass destruction and nothing has happened except soldiers lives being taken away from us. I have so many friends whose brothers have gone to Iraq and left unharmed, some that never had a chance to come back home and others that have gone back to Iraq for a second time. I just think it is such a shame and has really taken a toll on families. 

Since I hardly watch TV at school, my knowledge of the war is very limited through the media, however, whenever I watch the news all I see is updates of how many lives have been taken and other updates here and there. Whenever I see recordings where families are reunited with their soliders, I cry because I think it is such a joyous and grateful moment and those that do come back are so lucky. I think what would have only taken a few months has gone too far.  Now I feel like people are dying for no reason. There is more talk on Britney Spears and her sister Jamie Lynn than there is about the war, almost as if it doesn't exist or it is just unimportant now. I just wish there was a way we could bring all the soliders back right now, so hopefully with the new presidential elections that possibility can turn into a reality.