I was surfing Antiwar.com and came across the headline: Soldiers in 2nd Platoon, Charlie 1-26 stage a ‘mutiny’ that pulls the unit apart - I was immediately intrigued. I read feverishly, ate away at my apple, pulled a blanket over my head and the wind howled outside. I read how one of the main characters narrowly escaped the evil beast known as terrorism and rode atop a fighter jet…wait, wait…I’m confusing myself with Bastian Balthazar Bux - he became part of the story, the neverending story. Agonizingly, the Iraq war is becoming a neverending story.
But the article, I wanted to get inside the story more - to understand what these guys were trying to come to grip with: the fear and loathing; vengeance and madness; separation and belongingness. I wanted to understand their happiness at the end of it all [was there any?].
I never forgot about the Iraqi citizens. They’ve suffered terribly while their country is being liberated and democratized. Is it all in vein? What is it that they want? Has the West bothered to ask this?
No, I didn’t forgot about them and the psychological trauma that has taken hold of them since ‘03. Another generation born in Iraq. Another war. What a mind-fuck! For everyone.
These soldiers in this article though. ‘At mental health, guys had told the therapist, “I’m going to murder someone.”’ That’s pretty messed up, no? They were afraid their anger would get the best [worst?] of them and they would incite a massacre.
I get it, these soldiers are following orders and doing their duty. I get how Iraqi’s are upset at what we’re now seeing: an occupation; a neverending story. But really, I just don’t fucking get it.
