Letter From Iraq
A letter from Marine First Lieutenant Brian Donlon, a 2002 graduate of the University of Virginia, NROTC. He sends us his final thoughts before returning home to the U.S. A young soldier who makes an impression with his perspective on the invasion and aftermath.
A few paragraphs stand out:
Reflecting on what I have seen here in Iraq, the overwhelming emotion I feel is of pride, not In myself or even in my Marines, but in being an American. Patriotic sentiments tend to gravitate between cliché and taboo in the sensibilities of popular culture but if I was not defined before as a “patriot”, I am now. I am very proud to have been a small part of this effort and to come from a nation where not only could such an effort be sustained but whose aim was the betterment of another people a world away.You can opine all day long about Wilsonian self-determination, but without the will to do what is necessary to make such visions reality, they remain mere words. In short, as I give my farewell to this country in the next week, I leave with overwhelming pride in being an American and an unshakable belief, based in what I have seen here, that this effort will not fail.
Whatever comes in Iraq, the impact of this invasion will not be as that of every other conqueror, relegated to a wind worn mound of stones in the desert.
BlackFive has the complete letter here.
Worth reading, and remembering. Semper Fi.