The war is relative to all

It wasn’t until college that my life was really exposed to politics and the actuality of the war in Iraq. Growing up in a Connecticut suburb, few, if any, people were soldiers in the war. In my high school, I know of three people that are training or fighting in the war – that’s it. And sadly, there were much more “important” things (events, fundraisers for the football team, galas, etc) for the families at home to be worrying about. But after reading The Troubled Homecoming Of The Marlboro Marine, it has become apparent how much I am truly missing out on.
My grandfather fought in World War II and received two purple hearts. As a child and to this day, I know what his commitment meant to our country, but am still unsure of what really goes on during a war. Being the eldest daughter in my household, my father did not really have to worry about me becoming a soldier, but there was always a little bit of fear for my brother, who is now 17 years old, in the case that the draft becomes reinstated. The horrors that Blake Miller endured during and after his employment are terrifying. I would never wish upon any person to have to live their life so poorly. This article has shed light on a reality that many of us take for granted – our lives. When watching the news I feel as if I am only getting tidbits of what is currently happening – usually a few deaths and some troops being deployed. No one is ever exposed to the reality and the truth behind the war.
I feel it is crazy to think how far the war in Iraq has evolved. In the beginning it was about taking down Osama bin Laden. Now it is more to prove a point about politics and use America as a prime example of a well-run country. President Bush, unfortunately, is leaving behind a mess for the next president to have to clean up. As all the candidates say they are going to begin taking the troops out and bring them home, there is a part of me that feels this war will never end. Our lives will always be plagued by the events surrounding Iraq – the take down of Hussein and the many martyr’s years from now who honor the ways of Al Queda and other terrorist groups.
In the Rolling Stone article I was moved when Eliscu stated, “The best way to understand the photo, Rieckhoff suggests, is to put it next to a picture of Miller now. ‘That's a fair way of understanding that war is not what just happens over there — that when we come home, there is a whole other fight we have to deal with. That's the part of the fight when nobody takes pictures, and it's hard to get people's attention, and it's hard to get resources.’”. This war and every other war have left behind footprints that are ever pressed into our daily lives. Although it is hard for me to say I am directly involved or impacted by the war, the entire stability of the world is an affect of the events that are taking place. Whether a person I know becomes a soldier or a troop of soldiers come back home, it is all relative. Every person is affected by the war whether they like it or not.