My brother's best friend has volunteered to re-deploy to Iraq.

He had us all on pins and needles back in 2005-2006 for his first tour. When he came back on leave after six months, my brother and I took him out and got him drunk. Before saying good-bye to him that night, I told him: "If you don't come back, I'm going to kill you." He laughed and gave me a hug.

He came home safe from his tour, and I did just what I promised him I would do if he did: I bought him a steak dinner and all the liquor he could hold. Me, my brother, and my brother's huge circle of friends, were all overjoyed to have him home for good (we thought).

Well, at my brother's birthday party a couple of days ago, our friend announced that he had just volunteered with his National Guard unit to deploy a second time. You never saw so many furious people in one place; The attitude towards him was one of: "I love you; you're an asshole." My brother, who has already lost one friend in Afghanistan, is outwardly stoic, but I know he's tearing himself up inside. Our friend is an island of pro-Bush, pro-war in a sea of pro-Obama, pro-peace folks. And we've all agreed that since he's not scheduled to deploy until November, that we're going to do everything we can to get the deployment canceled. And that means an Obama victory.

Get him arrested? injured?
That would toss a monkey wrench into his plans. Why do you even like this guy if he is pro war and pro bush?

He's a great guy, but he's fighting in an extremely unpopular war. He has to believe that there's some sense to it all, and that he's doing it for a good cause. I've been there myself; I served in Gulf War I, and no matter its popularity, it was still just so we could protect our oil supply and prop up the ultra-conservative Kuwaiti monarchy. I knew that going in, but I made myself believe that it was because one nation had unjustly invaded another.

I try to like, or even love, someone because of their merits as a human being, regardless of political affiliation. If I didn't, I wouldn't have married the most wonderful woman in the world, who just happens to be a Republican. It's the same with Mike. My brother and I roll our eyes when he talks about Bush, but we love him just the same, and worry for his safety.

All the same, I understand why you asked. :-) It's been a rough eight years for us, hasn't it?

Oh yeah, here's me with the most wonderful woman in the world:

Thats just crazy, I would not be able to sleep in the same house as one of them. They are all evil, pure evil.

I am glad we have brave people out there like him. Too bad it has been taken advantage of.

:-)

Yeah, he's got some game. Back when we were roommates, he would often go with his NG unit over to Eastern Washington to battle summer forest fires. That takes some guts.

He is a marine. He joined right out of high school deu to 9-11. My aunt was a complete wreck during his first deployments. He spent months in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He finally earned his discharge and came home to all of his loving family. But, he could not adjust to civilian life. He has problems with drinking and he cannot sleep. He also has anger issues which resulted in his girlfriend leaving and in him assaulting a police officer. He re-enlisted this spring. We are worried sick about him.

My thoughts are with you and your friend. I am worried about what we are doing to this generation of young people.

Tracy