Iraqi Reality

Folks, this is what Bush has caused. This is a regular guy who's trying to survive Iraq. I pray he comes home in one piece.

So when I first got to this base I’m now at I took a piece of wood and wrote “Number of missions without taking contact or getting blown up.” Every time I get back from a mission without incident I put another hash mark on the board. Every month of the year has also been written out with a big black X over the months we’ve been here. I’ve decided that when I do get blown up (around here it’s a question of when and how bad, not if) and have to replace the window of the Hummer, the replaced glass is going home with me. It’ll be my little war trophy. One guy in my platoon has a windshield in bubble wrap and cardboard that was shot up when he was driving a few months back. Another friend of mine kept the shrapnel that was pulled out of his body; you can bet that any bullets taken out of me are going on permanent display at Fort Living Room. [emphasis mine]

The guy isn't being political. He's just trying to make it through his ordeal. I politicise his words because I'd rather see him putting in his time in Nebraska or somewhere and not in the volatile world that is Iraq right now.