Struggling Back From War’s Once-Deadly Wounds

Denise Grady’s (2006) article sound a strong wake up call for the American government and for the American public to re-evaluate their guiding principles towards war in Iraq and the continued presence of the American soldiers in the Iraqi soil. Grady delineated the enormous damages the war had costs in not only monetary terms but also the future of thousands of promising young and talented men and women sent in the Iraq War; that had no clear benefits to them or the American people.

The story of Jason Poole as presented by Grady is a clear picture of the ravage of the potentials of soldiers in the face of war, and the wrong priorities of the American government in spending billions of dollars for the war that have no clear advantage for them or the American people, that is worth dying for. The sending of potential young men and women in Iraq to sustain its war lacked the basic objective that warrant their sacrifices, as well as the billions of dollars spend in pursuing such unclear purpose that is wrongly labeled “war on terror.” As per records, American fatalities in Iraq as of January 20 stood at two thousand two hundred twenty five (2, 225), while casualties numbered at 16, 472 (The New York Times, par. 8). Grady cited that medical treatments for brain injuries in Iraq alone would cost fourteen billion dollars.

In the light of the enormous figures, the question that has to be answered is, are these spending justifiable? On the other hand, are the injuries that ruined the life of Corporal Poole and those of others justifiable? Can his goals in his life be worked out for him by the government, now that he is disabled? Can Justice be served to him for losing a relationship because of that war? Grady pictured Poole as a man full of dreams. He dreamed to enter college and to become a teacher some day and raise his own family (Grady, 2006, p 332). Now, these dreams were all shattered by war. The war in Iraq is snatching young men from their love ones only to meet their brutal death in a foreign soil, or get severely injured that will forever disable them. It is clear that these soldiers like Corporal Poole have dedicated their lives to their profession as a soldier to the point of risking their lives just to prove their loyalty and dedication to their profession.