A Soldiers Thoughts

“A Soldiers Thoughts” Zachary Scott-Singley wrote an essay called “A Soldiers Thoughts”. His essay was based on his inner thoughts and questions, how he should and shouldn’t feel about war. Is war right or wrong? Are these people truly the enemy? What would you do to stay alive? I feel war leaves these questions open to discussion and defiantly can change based on the person and the involvement; but the work of war can change a person’s values and morals. War, is it right or wrong? This question is defiantly up for discussion. If you are a civilian, war can be something you are for, against or maybe just don’t care about. Once you have joined the military, war is your life. In a way, war is your career. You are a hired assassin, hired to protect your family, friends and this county. All while putting your personal feelings aside. Scott-Singley said “I had my orders and they had their” (pg 438). This is too true. When you are in the war atmosphere, people are plotting against you. They are your enemy. As a civilian we all can have enemies, but we don’t go out and kill them. It is not morally just. We would actually get locked up if we killed just because we didn’t like someone. As a military man, a man at war, your enemies are not to stay alive. If they are, they are still a threat. Killing your enemy is the only option. This was very hard for Scott-Singley to accept. His civilian morals and values were still a part of him. Even with his platoon having 192 confirmed kills during their first deployment in Bagdad. He recalls thinking, “We targeted people and then they just disappeared” (pg 438). This was his job. He had to take the lives of his enemies in order to return home to his loved ones. Even though he knew this meant he was taking them away from their loved ones. I personally have been told a story by a friend who was in Iraq. He talked about the emotions of killings. The emotions he felt were intensified by killing the enemy. He told me that he