In my New York Post column today, I make the point that American troops who are supposedly fighting for nothing in Iraq have in fact killed thousands of Al Qaeda or Al Qaeda-aligned terrorists — and that has something to do with the fact that we haven’t been hit again on American soil. I also took issue with George F. Will’s description of 9/11 as “two hours of terrorism.” I just received this terribly moving e-mail:
Our son-in-law, Sgt. Frank B. Hernandez, Jr. was one of those brave young men who gave the ultimate sacrifice on 2/17/05 in Tal Afar, Iraq. He was a gunner on a Stryker and was killed by an IED. Our daughter became a widow at 20 years of age and now has to raise their son without his daddy. All he will have is other people’s memories….all because of “two hours of terrorism.”
Frank joined the army because of 9/11 and when he did, he gave up a scholarship to Arizona State University. He hoped to become a police officer like his brother and he aspired to become an FBI agent someday. He was a son, brother, cousin, nephew, husband, father — and he was a patriot.
War is horrible for both sides, there is no win-win…but it is something that is sometimes needed…and to all those who are complaining about it because of “two hours of Terrorism” I say GO TO HELL. That is where over 2000 families went when the knock came at the door, Then tell all of us that it was “just two hours.” For us it will be a lifetime.
Thank you for standing up for our son-in-law and all of the men and women who have suffered and died in this and every other war. We, the families, are grateful.
Sincerely,
Butch and Elaine Eames
More info on Sgt. Hernandez here. God bless.