Continuing the Veteran's SALUTE!

Since yesterday was the "official" Federal Veteran's Day Holiday, I was looking for an inspiration after yesterday's post. Luckily, I found it on HBO late last night. I watched James Gandolfini's "Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq", and yes, I shed a tear or two listening to the stories told by the Iraq War Veterans who were seriously wounded and lived to tell about.

Each of these heroes shared their "Alive Day Memories". Their individual "Alive Days" were the date they suffered their debilitating injuries and lived to tell about it. Each had a slightly different story, but most involved either IED's or RPG's blowing up the vehicle they were in. Each had slightly different life altering injuries from amputated arms, double amputees, triple amputees and one gentleman who lost his sight in both eyes. He wore a glass eye in one eye socket but the other eye socket was so badly damaged he couldn't get a glass eye to stay in. Because of his injuries, his wife divorced him (nice lady, NOT!). Many suffered hearing loss from the proximity of the explosions in addition to the amputations. Each of these HEROES have suffered more than we could ever ask, much less expect.

Most of us would respond immediately that we must end this war and pull out of Iraq because the cost in lives of our military personnel is just too high. However, nearly all of the heroes telling there stories indicated a desire to go back to Iraq with their comrades in arms and finish what they started by winning this war. Their was no hint of surrender in their stories. They have witnessed the war first hand and believe in what the United States is trying to do there.

Whether you believe in winning or surrendering, one thing is for certain, many of our heroes want to stay. I believe that we had a legal and moral justification for invading Iraq. Yes I am aware of recent news that Saddam told an FBI agent that he never had WMD's. With his history of lies, deceit, murder, torture, etc., why would anyone believe that all of a sudden Saddam was now telling the truth in this report. I believe his statement was nothing more than a last ditch attempt to try to avoid the hangman's noose.

The latest news from Iraq shows that we are finally starting to get a handle on the fighting after our "Troop Surge" and we are actually showing signs that we may be winning. Why would we want to dishonor all those who sacrificed so much for us by just "giving up" and "pulling out". Victory is just around the corner and we need to stay and see this through.

If you don't get HBO, you can go to HBO.com and order the DVD for this "MUST SEE" documentary.