A very moving letter that doesn't involve HRC, JE, BO, DK, or porn. Just, the insanity of war.

In particular, this Iraq war, or occupation, or whatever label you wish to apply to it.

I hope at least some of you will join me when I say to all of you that eating each other alive over our favorite candidate or least-favorite candidate, or pornography, or feminism, or dog-fighting, or homosexuality or bisexuality, the economy, or climate change, or whatever particular DU pissing matches you are currently engaged in, pales in comparison to what I read today in my local paper.

Can we move beyond these issues for a moment?

The following is a letter sent to Oregonian columnist Steve Duin, a writer for whom I have respect. He received a letter from an American soldier, forwarded by his mom. The mom asked him to print it in full. To his credit, Mr. Duin did:

From Iraq, a soldier's humble plea

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf?/base/news/1187659529175980.xml&coll=7

In Steve Duin's own words:

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

A Portland-area mother forwarded this extraordinary letter to me Sunday. It was written by her son, Sean, who is serving in Iraq, she says. Because it deserves a wider audience, she gave me permission to reprint it below:

<note: I don't have permission myself to reprint it in entirety, so I will follow the rules and limit my snip to four paragraphs. But I can't recommend it enough.>

<snip>

Forgive me if this seems to be a part of an endless litany of grim tidings. However, you are my friends and family, and I suspect that you would rather hear the truth of my life, and hear the genuineness of my take on this life that I am living, instead of the forced laugh with press-on smile.

A little over a week ago, a man named Andy was killed by an IED, along with 3 others. In the incident, there were 3 wounded, and 5 total killed. An insurgent sniper killed a soldier, his friends (Andy & Co.) saw where the shot came from, and entered the building in order to apprehend/kill the sniper. The sniper had lured them into a house rigged with an IED, which Andy's crew functioned, killing 4 of them.
Their selfless devotion to their comrade touches me, and reminds me that I have lived an amazing life. A life that has allowed me to see greatness in action. Andy was a grunt, and we became friends here through some very tense situations. He watched my back on more than one occasion. He was a good man, and I will miss him.

Today, roughly eight hours ago, my team was called to a possible detonation site to allay the fears of the battle space commander. It was a "nothing" call. We showed up, and the guys that called us couldn't even ID a detonation site...

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf?/base/news/1187659529175980.xml&coll=7

----

Like many of the rest of regular DUers over the last few days, I've engaged in rhetoric and argument and small-mindedness that frankly I regret, because it's unproductive, and even worse, it divides us.

After reading this, I'd like to apologize to every single DUer I've ever offended; that's a very long list.

That said, please read this.

Read what this young soldier is saying. I dare you. Read the whole thing.

Then tell me this isn't the single biggest immediate crisis facing the world. We can't fix global warming if our nation is driven into the ground militarily.

Let's get on with ending this petty bickering and focus on what REALLY matters --- STOPPING IT.

I don't have a magic answer as to how; don't ask me for one. I just will thank you if you bothered to take a few moments to read this.

Sean needs us to focus, along with hundreds of thousands of his fellow troops being held hostage in an Iraqi civil war that they can't fix.

/soapbox.

Thank you for posting this moving letter and thanks to Steve Duin for using his column to get this important message out to those who might not otherwise hear the truth Sean's letter contains.

My best to Sean--may he be safe. And blessings to his mother. I can only imagine how she must feel!

Tired Old Cynic

is left.

Are DUers so self-absorbed that they can't stop fighting each other to see the forest for the trees?