I the case of the war on terror, I believe the answer to these questions is yes. I support our presence in Iraq and the war on terror, though I believe that this war could have been avioded by less “global protection” in the past, at this point it would be pure folly to withdraw.

As one who has deployed twice to Iraq, and is likely to deploy again, I thank those of you who claim to support the troops, but if you intend to do that by bringing us home before mission is complete, keep your favors to yourself. All you’re really doing is making my job more difficult and dangerous.

And if Iraq is not essential to the war on terror, why are terrorists fighting so hard there? Clearly it’s a center of gravity, which makes it where we want to be. Better in Iraq (where, by the way we do not torture people, nor have we ever) than in New York. We fight them there so you don’t have to here.

And one more thing: the First Gulf War ended in an armistice that depended on Saddam’s fulfillment of UN mandates, among which were honoring weapons inspections and the No-Fly Zones (which were implemented, among other reasons to keep him from destroying his citizens’ villages with helicopter gunships.) Saddam brought the resumption of conflict upon himself by interfering with inspections and habitually flying in the No-Fly Zones. Prior to the resumption of the war one of Saddam’s MiG 25 interceptors tried to shoot down a surveillance jet on which I was flying. Don’t you dare try to insinuate that Saddam was an innocent victim of some political intrigue. He brought the resumption of conflict upon himself.

“Why do you love this counrty enough to give your life in its service?”

This is a very good question, and I commend you for honestly asking it. There are many reasons why I would die for my country. The reasons you gave– the government, people, and land, are all right. I would die for an ideal, a belief, a system that I beileve worth defending.

But it goes far, far deeper than that. This is the best way I can think of to explan it: would you die for your mother? I know I would. Why? Because I think she’s the best. Because I want to preserve her life. Because I cherish all that she stands for. But even more than that, because she is MY mother. It is my duty to give everything I have for the one that gave me life, for the one that made me all that I am.

I feel a loyalty, a patriotism, to my mother because when you love something, you are willing to die for it. This is why we call our native country “the mother-land.”

I hope this helps.