In a lawless environment where men with guns rule the streets, engaging in the banalities of life has become a death-defying act. Four years into our occupation, we have failed on every promise, while we have substituted Baath Party tyranny with a tyranny of Islamist, militia and criminal violence. When the primary preoccupation of average Iraqis is when and how they are likely to be killed, we can hardly feel smug as we hand out care packages.

NYTimes OpEd

The authors of this opinion piece are from the 82nd airborne (Buddhika Jayamaha is an Army specialist. Wesley D. Smith is a sergeant. Jeremy Roebuck is a sergeant. Omar Mora is a sergeant. Edward Sandmeier is a sergeant. Yance T. Gray is a staff sergeant. Jeremy A. Murphy is a staff sergeant.). They are returning home soon - on the tail end of a 15-month tour in Iraq. I definitely encourage everyone to read this - given what these guys have gone through on their tour, what they will have to endure now that their names are in print (they are still on active duty) the least we can do is listen to what they have to say. I’m sure this will raise the ire of their ranking officers and those under political will in the pentagon…maybe…or maybe this is what a lot of them want to say anyway.

Their determination to finish their mission (last paragraph) is a sobering look into their world - to move on no matter what even when the mission is unfocused or clearly failing. All I have is complete respect and gratitude for our men and women in uniform…