jgardn's Journal: War is Horrible -- but necessary

Watching the news today, I heard about the casualties, captures, and mistakes made today.

War is horrible. No one argues with that. But this war is necessary.

Even if it is true that the Iraqis don't want to be free, they deserve the chance to freedom that they never had. It is not right for one person to have so much power over another, the way Saddam does over his people.

When the dust settles, when the bodies are counted, and when it is safe to come out and celebrate victory in the streets, then the Iraqis will know the meaning of freedom for the first time.

The Kurds will no longer live in fear. Nor the Shiites. While segregation, inequality, and discrimination will exist for many, many years to come, they will be far better off in a few months than they were today.

For the first time, in this country of sand and rivers, there will be freedom. Those lives that are lost, those people who are tortured, and those people who are wounded, will be thanked eternally for that.

We thank those who came before us for our freedom. And we thank those who sacrifice today. Those are the heroes, those are they who are really demonstrating love for their fellow man.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' (John 15:13)

Indeed, Jesus himself laid down his life for us. Did we accept it? Many still do not. Yet he did it anyway, that we might live. Let use remember these soldiers who are falling today as saviors. They are laying down their own lives so the Iraqi people don't have to. We are doing something for them that they cannot do for themselves. This is true love, true service. There is no more noble a duty than to serve those around you in ways they cannot serve themselves.

President Bush is praying for God's comfort to be with their families. I am praying for them as well. Let us all pray for all of those who have lost their lives in this war, on both sides. Let us pray for God's comfort to visit all those who are affected by this war. When the fighting is finished, let there be a great peace throughout Iraq for many hundreds of years to come.