I was linked to an eye opening video by my professor recently. In comparison to previous wars our country has fought in, such as vietnam, the amount and type of footage being aired in our media is vastly different. Television viewers in the Vietnam era were treated to ghastly real images of war, something our government has shielded us from during this current conflict. However, every now and again, footage like this leaks out, where we see real soldiers battling real insurgents and at least in this case, the insurgents can shoot.
According to popular belief, the insurgents are not very good shots. I say popular belief because I can only say what I've heard, I'm not a soldier and have never been to the middle east. However, the insurgent or insurgents in this video from the New York Times definitely knew what he was doing with his gun, at least enough to catch a marine in the soldier with his bullet. I'll be honest, this is the first time I've seen such footage and it is unsettling.
As a life long video gamer my only experience with war has been the digital variety. An experience much softer than real life, filled with health kits and bonus lives, things that real soldiers don't have the privilege of using. Out there in the field it is actual life and death, something I think is lost on a lot of us back home. These soldiers are risking it all and sometimes losing it, all in the name of freedom.
But at some point we have to ask what we're fighting for. Is it the high score? No, of course not, this is no game. Then what is it? Bin Laden? Is he still our prime goal? Or is it to rebuild a country we helped tear apart? When it comes right down to it, I'm not sure exactly what we're there for.
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