Just checking the headlines at Iraqi casualties and I came across a story in the Hartford Courant about the increase in suicides among military personnel in the combat zone.
One story in particular was pretty sad, the story of 21-year-old Pfc Tina Priest from Austin, Texas. She apparently committed suicide on March 1, 2006, after being raped by a fellow soldier.
I'm not exactly sure on all the facts, but from the story it looked like the rape investigation went badly and Pfc Priest became depressed, so much so that she was proscribed anti-depressants. Unfortunately, shortly after that she chose to take her own life.
After reading the story I thought I'd surf around and see what other stories there were about her. I came across this one link, a guestbook for people to give their condolences to the Priest family for their loss. While many of them are touching it was sadly ironic to read how some people thought Tina gave her life for her country, or answered the "Call" to service to protect America, and her death helped protect the country.
One comment in particular was pretty disheartening, here it is:
"To the Priest family and friends,
It was my honor to join the Patriot Guard Riders in paying tribute and remembrance to PFC Tina Priest.
Her great sacrifice shall never be forgotten, and you will forever have my family's gratitude.
While Tina's life was tragically cut short, her place in history is sealed and immortalized by her selfless act of being a volunteer and patriot to defend our great nation and those of us who dwell in it. No soldier goes to a combat zone without the realization that fate may call unannounced. This takes great courage and fortitude, and PFC Priest embodied those virtues when she signed up to serve. She accomplished and experienced more in her 20 years than most in America will ever know. May God comfort you and richly bless you."
What is so sad about this, is this woman didn't die serving her country--she died because she was raped by a fellow soldier and became so depressed as a result that she killed herself. And yet, you would think that to these people paying their respects she had died in the middle of a firefight or as the result of an IED.
This is crux of the problem in dealing with war supporters, any sacrifice in support of their war is appropriate--any death is part of the larger goal of "stopping them in Iraq instead of Manhattan." There is such a disconnect between the truth of the situation and what they believe that views on the Iraq war are going to be even more divisive than other wars such as Vietnam.
And that is the saddest thing of all, because for the next 20, 30, 40 years Americans will be arguing about the Iraq War and whether it was worth Pfc Tina Priest's life and the all the other lives both American and Iraqi.