The Realities of War

July 26, 2008 at 3:41 am · Filed under Social Media and tagged: Blogs, Iraq, Soldiers, War

The War in Iraq is said to be the first war were people here in America can get first hand encounters of the things going on in the war immediately thanks to blogs, video sharing sites such as YouTube and citizen journalism. 

Today I watched a video on YouTube called US Marines in Iraq Real Footage Warning Graphic.  I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to be in another country and fighting the enemy on their native land.  This video gives an up close and personal veiw of what soldiers are doing everyday. 

I also checked out a blog called Army of Dude after my teacher suggested it.  This is a blog by a soldier named Alex.  He posted on this blog while he was stationed in Iraq.  Currently Alex is back home trying to adjust to civilian life.  The pictures that Alex has on this blog are amazing.  Everyone looks so young and innocent some of the soldiers pictured are still in Iraq but there are also many pictured that have died fighting in the war.  Social media is clearly having a significant impact in giving a human face to the tragedy of this war.  I think that it is helpful to people to know what is really going on.  I do not know anyone personally who is in Iraq however reading these blogs gives me a chance to see real faces and I think that is important.  Seeing these faces brings the atrocities of war closer to home versus seeing a news anchor just talk about the war.

This is definitely a blog that I will continue to read even after my class is over.  I am interested in keeping up with Alex and reading his thoughts about the war as it continues. 

Does anyone even care that Bush said “Mission Accomplished” on May 1, 2003?  Maybe he should have said “mission could be accomplished but I’m not done yet.”

I am very thankful that these soldiers have a commitment to protecting our country at all cost even if the cost is their own life.

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