Soldier in famous Iraq photo never defeated 'demons'

I can't even begin to imagine the traumas our troops endure during wartime. My uncle was a career military man and served in both the Korean War and Vietnam. To this day he still wakes up in the middle of the night in terror thinking he's back in the battle zone.

My heart goes out to the Dwyer family, and to all those who take up arms to defend our nation.

Originally posted by nyk537
It's somewhat disturbing to me to see this being tied back into the "evil Bush administration" and the usual people the blame for everything is placed on. Sure this is a sad story to hear, but this isn't new.

Unfortunately things like this are a result of the horror that is war. Men like this know of the risks and dangers, and make the decision to serve their country anyway. It's decisions like those that make men like him heroes to me. This is not Bush's fault, or Americas fault, or the war's fault. This is life, granted it's not a pretty side of life, but it is.

I really don't mean to turn this into a red vs blue political debate, but the Bush administration, evil or not, needs to take some responsibility for the lives of men like this.

Yes, it is a result of war, yes men like this know the risks and dangers when they choose to serve their country (or at least they should). But that doesn't mean men like Bush should be absolved from their responsibility. This one man was responsible for his decision to serve in the army. As a result, he is responsible for the outcome of his life after this decision.

Bush, as one man (or one administration anyway) is responsible for his (their) decision to send hundreds of thousands of men into combat. The decision was made, and as a result Bush is responsible (not solely responsible, but responsible nonetheless) for the outcome of those hundreds of thousands of lives after his decision.

It doesn't matter whether it was the right decision or not, just as it doesn't matter whether this man's decision to serve his country was the right decision or not. The point is that it was a decision that was made, and as a result the consequences must be worn.

In this case, a decision was made by this soldier, and by Bush. The soldier made a decision and was forced to live with the consequences. Bush also made a decision, and the soldier was forced to live with the consequences.

I'm not saying its 'all big bad Bush's fault', but any leader who does not recognise their own responsibility when sending their nation to war, frankly, doesn't deserve to be a leader.

Sigh....
I kind of always knew he was going down. His head was tripped out.
His mind was gone.

[edit on 7/22/2008 by jpm1602]
Somebody stars me when I say boogers. I am blessed on this board.

[edit on 7/22/2008 by jpm1602]

Perhaps some music is in order. This first one seems quite fitting for this soldier's story...



This video is perhaps more fitting, but I like the original version of the song itself better than this one...



For several years I kept a candle burning in a window, to light my brother's way back home. He never came home. He's now on another tour, somewhere south of Baghdad this time. In the meantime I managed to lose the apartment we had shared for a lot of years, and everything he had left in there that didn't pack into his duffle bag the day he left. I couldn't even get his mail forwarded.

With this one, I always sort of superimposed the meaning of "mama" as being America...



Rest in peace Joseph Dywer.

[edit on 7/22/0808 by jackinthebox]

Yes it is a sad story. But the saddest thing is that people actually believe we are in Iraq to protect OUR freedom. No one has died for my freedom since the revolutionary war.

reply to post by Operation AJAX


dude that is so sad... i remember seeing a news peice on CNN about the pills some of these guys take when they get back for the mental ailments.. several different typs of anti depressants.. even ones for "breakthrough depression" like
some strong narco pills are for break through pain.. how sad is that

Originally posted by centurion1211
You type a lot of words on this subject, so here's a key question for you. What exactly do you know about what it's like being in a war?

Just what i have read in the countless books, over the last twenty years, meaning that i think i know a bit but will probably be surprised by a great many things. If you however think that my lack of knowledge of 'what it's like' has any bearing on my knowledge of the geopolitical and social implications you are severely mistaken.

If you want to discuss what you think of my personal abilities or, or in your view probably the lack of some, then do so but don't think i will be so easily distracted from the relevant discussions that has to do with facts and figures i most certainly didn't pull from thin air.

Were you, for example, one of the soviets that got defeated in Afghanistan?

No i was not and for the record the USSR were no more defeated in Afghanistan than the US has been in Iraq or were in Vietnam. Both countries elites had to withdrew because it was creating too many problems on the home front which obviously always comes first.

Stellar

[edit on 22-7-2008 by StellarX]

I am amazed at the wonderful heartfelt posts in this thread, especially from those that have or are serving in the military.

To those that are active, I totally understand where you are coming from. Your duty is to faithfully serve the Commander in Chief... and for that I salute you all.

My role as a retired Vet and citizen, is to make sure that your Commander in Chief only sends you in harm's way when absolutely necessary. I need to do all I can to make sure that you and your family are taken care of while you are on active duty, and to ensure that you get the proper medical care (if needed) should you be injured on active duty.

In a larger view, it is my duty as a citizen to make sure that this nation's military is not used for the personal gain of a select few. To make sure the the Constitution is protected and defended from those who seek to destroy it, both foreign and domestic.

I never believed this day would come to America. I am as patriotic as they come, but I believe we have been lied to and lead astray by our current Government. I guess S.O.'s signature sums up my feelings exactly....

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.

I am really saddened by this article. He obviously did not want treatment because of the stigma amongst soldiers and the possibility that he couldnt become a policeman. In most cases we are not the best judge of our mental condition. I wonder if someone could have had him committed so he could get proper treatment. He should not have died. It's just awful.

Originally posted by jetxnet
Nice post Semper!

It's like all the good our nation is done is tossed out the window.

Which 'good' are we talking about?

Many of our Grandpas and Great Uncles etc. fought in WWII preventing the spread of tyranny.

What they in fact did was fight a nation that declared war on the US; self defense if you will. The US public was dead set against joining the war against the NAZi's ( which isn't surprising giving the racist sexist society the US was at the time) and it took Roosevelt a great deal of time and effort, to say nothing of sacrificial lambs before he at least managed a war against Japan. We should never forget that it was Hitler who declared war on the US with the US public basically being dragged kicking and screaming into a world war they wanted to part of.

In Vietnam, soldiers coming home and getting spat on. How badly that must have felt. The last scene in Rambo I still moves me BTW.

Spatting on men who were drafted into combat is a pretty ridiculous thing to do and frankly i don't believe much of the stories about spitting and worse. Sounds like propaganda to me and considering the jail time you faced for refusing to serve it's nor surprising that most men are far too cowardly to risk being called cowards for refusing to serve in a illegal war. Coupled with the stiff penalties we should not spend our time attacking those who take the easier path and instead create social and political conditions and which they would have better options.

Someone has to do the fighting, because if they don't, tyranny will rule the land.

Someone sure has and men have always shown themselves more than willing to defend what they believe to be theirs. When you cant get men to fight for something it's most probably because there is simply no reason for them to do so. Tyranny may rule not because of the absence of good men but because generally decent men are fooled into fighting for tyrants.

Free speech and nations are scarce and most of what has been fought for up to this point is for freedom's sake.

Free speech and nations that managed to practice democracy are scarce because certain groups in the US ( and Europe/elsewhere) hunts them down and destroys the organizers of potential liberation movements or countries who have managed to start democratizing.

Imagine now an America without a military. Do you think America would last long as a free and independent nation?

It very probably would given it's relative isolation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a nation enabled for self defense but nations with large maritime defense forces and intercontinental air forces are clearly not interested in protecting power in self interested ways.

Many forget the sacrafices made so they can have the quality of life they do.

Since it's the average person that has made the sacrifices in the struggle to beat back our capitalist/elitists masters we should not praise the average fighting man if he did not take part in the unarmed protests that largely lead to these changes.

Other countries wonder why America is so proud, we have reason to be.

Why? IS there a country with more unused potential? Compared to Japan the US is in my opinion both economically and socially a failed experiment.

We saved the free world more than once and may have to do it yet again.

When?

Stellar

Originally posted by jetxnet
Iraq was liberated from the iron grip of a ruthless dictator. It came with a heavy price, but Iraqis no longer have to fear political dissent. They can speak their views freely. They no longer have to worry about the dicator's spoiled son taking wives from their husbands for his sexual gratification and then having them killed so no other man could have them.

No longer will the Soccer team have to worry about having limbs cut off for losing at the Olympics as was the case in Saddam's Iraq. No longer will parents have to worry about having their babies dropped off buldings while forced to watch by a ruthless dictator to set examples.

You are joking in these NO LONGERS aren't you???? Please say yes.

Iraq has not been LIBERATED from the iron grip on a ruthless dictator... it's the same hand squeezing them just a different puppet (Bush Co). Yeah, they speak their views freely - when our side or the other doesn't shoot them and the news person while they are trying to speak freely.

And you are correct... no longer will the Soccer team be at the Olympics unless it is the Special Olympics because we've blown off their legs. And why no worry about the babies being dropped off buildings ... one, most of the building have or will be destroyed... and two, most of the babies are being born crippled due to DU bombs that WE used.

Back on Topic: I'm sorry to hear about this soldiers struggle once he got back from the HELL that our ruthless dictator put him in. It is very sad and yes, he seemed like a person who truly cared about people... unlike so many.

Although my experience in the military was very brief, I got a concussion in boot camp and the navy saw fit to discharge me for that, when i returned home it took me close to 2 years to get over my post traumatic stress disorder. Even in boot camp the rigors of the training scar people. I lashed out at my loved ones, I lost the only girl I've ever loved because of that. She only wanted to be there for me and I kept pushing her away.

I have many friends who currently are serving over in Iraq. They don't talk about it but you can tell in their eyes that the things they've seen and done will haunt them for the rest of their lives. What's going on over there is exactly like Vietnam. Women, children and men who dress up like civilians; the enemy over there are regular people (or should I say, they are distinguishable from the regular populace). If a 7 year old child is putting lead down range at you, personally, he is a threat and must be deal with as such. It pains me to say that yes if forced to I would kill anybody... to protect myself and those I care about. That's what it basically boils down to over seas. They are forced to do this acts out of self-preservation and the protection of their company.

The least the government can do is not to forget about these vets like they've forgotten about the others. For god's sake, they're over there "protecting" our country. If it was up to me they would all get 170 acres and a mule for their voluntary act of selflessness.