Iraq/Afghanistan, Not in Vain, Far From It...

Some people say our soldiers died, and are dying in vain. I don't think so.

In November 1979 a group of Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran. The attack on this sovereign U. S. embassy set the stage for events of the next 23 years. The Marines stationed at the embassy followed orders and did not protect themselves, or the embassy. They were taken hostage.

A Marine sergeant present that day believes that passivity was a mistake. The Marines should have defended the embassy, even if it cost their lives. "Had we opened fire on them, maybe we would only have lasted an hour."

Standing their ground would have sent a signal that the United States of America cannot be attacked with impunity.

In contrast, the embassy's surrender sent the opposite signal - that it's open season on Americans! "If you look back, it started in 1979; it's just escalated," he concludes.

Since 1979 terrorists have been attacking, kidnapping, torturing, maiming, and killing Americans. A total of about 4000 Americans have died at the hands of terrorists since then. An uncounted number have permanent physical and psychological scars from the experience.

This is one of the primary reasons our soldiers are in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are finally taking the fight to them. In the long run, fewer Americans, and fewer citizens of other countries will die by terrorist's hands because of what we do today.

Our soldiers have not died in vain.

But they will have given their lives for nothing if the US pulls out of the fight now.