DireWolf
05/04/02 07:14 AM
213.8.222.155
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"...I carry food to the watch tower. A single shot breaks the silence of the night. I drop the tray and roll to the side. Good, its not me getting shot at. The watch tower emits another loud bang. The shots are ours. I pick up the tray and re-arrange the sealed rations on it, I run to the tower, set the tray aside and take cover. Thus begin four-and-a-half hours of frantic action. Men spotted on the fence, shots fired at patrols, and so on.
I run back to our quarters, I am told to organize a defense around them, watching the fence, which is only a few dozen meters away. I have four of my friends who look at me as if I was their commander and keep asking what to do. I calm them. Strange, I do not feel fear. I spread them among the scattered cover and tell each one what section of the fence to scan with their night-vis scopes. An APC patrol drives past our cover, its lights illuminating the electrified fence which surrounds the settlement of Rafiah-Yam. We're all tired. I walk among my friends, staying low, making sure they stay awake. I feel as if I am going to fall asleep on my feet. I wash my face with cold water from my canteen, allowing myself to stay awake later. My platoon commander runs past us, giving us an update on the situation: Dozens of infitration attempts, mortar fire, gunfire. In short, he tells us nothing we do not already know. He heads for another position where my platoon set up a makeshift ambush near the fence, his radio operator in tow. The radio channels are full of reports, requests for support and bad humour. As two disappear in the distance a short period of silence falls on my position. Then, a mortal shell falls half a klick away, behind a large sand dune. A flare crosses the sky lighting our position and we roll into deeper cover to stay concealed. Finally, several hours later, everything calms down. The radio channels are free from chatter. The night is quiet again. We are all debriefed and dismissed to much needed sleep. I take a shower and drop onto the bed. Two hours later I am on guard duty again.
Yes, it is ironic. The soldier who stands in front of the men who wish to work knows the procedure less than the later. They are used to it. I am not. They come forward and spread their arms, waiting for the metal detector to sweep over their clothing. For them, this is an everyday procedure. For me, its a strange feeling. A power to control someone's income, someone's life. A power I find out I do not want. The line of workers seems endless. Everytime it is the same: metal detector check, then another soldier checks their work passes and ID cards. Soon I even took to saying a sheepish "good morning" in arabic, drawing a smile and a similar response from the man I am letting through.
When I did not wear a uniform, I was certain I'd hate them. All of them. Most of us do. But then you come in contact with the common man who wishes to make a living, make ends meet. The day's orders say that workers under the age of 25 and anyone who isn't married aren't allowed past the checkpoint. All I can do is apologize in front of the married man who has two children and is a month shy of 25 years old. He smiles at me, understanding all I do is my job, and shakes my hand. I apologize again. He says its not a big deal. He walks away. The next worker approaches. I carry on with a heavy heart. He walks home to his family, with no paycheck.
I do my job. I Defend my country. No questions there. But the other questions are many and asking one is just opening a pandora's box of many many more. Our fates are intertwined. The fate of the soldier who holds an assault rifle, the fate of the worker who wishes to live, the fate of the terrorist who shoots a child in the head, and the fate of the child's mother. Every step we take affects another on the other side of the fence. When will two leaders who actually understand the meaning of carrying on the feud come around ? Who knows. All I know is I got a job to do. And asking questions is just a big damn headache.
The metal detector beeps, alerting me. The worker in front of me scrambles to show me the contents of his pockets. He pulls out a Zippo. I lower the rifle. We both breathe a sigh of relief. I return to my thoughts. There is hope. It is seen on every roadblock here, on every checkpoint, in the eyes of every man and woman. The hope for a better future. I share this hope as well, despite holding an assault rifle in my arms. The last worker walks through and the line ends, cutting my thoughts short of their mark. I leave the checkpoint, I am no longer needed there, being there only to beef up security and make sure none of the workers go where they shouldn't.
I return to our spartan quarters and take off the flak vest. An hour later I am in my dress uniform, riding a civilian bus past the same checkpoint on my way home. Another twenty minutes later I am getting into my mother's car and a few minutes more, I am already home. So close, yet so far. I fall on my bed, and sleep takes me. In 48 hours I'll be back in that mess..."
<< To be continued>>
-Lt. Lev (Res. Inf.) "Dire Wolf" Arris, IDF.
"What is it like fighting the Wolf ? Imagine a lightning with legs, an earthquake with arms, a catastrophe with genius or just pure hell on wheels".
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Spartan
05/04/02 08:59 AM
172.175.235.94
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Stay safe Lev. And good luck, to you and your people and your neighbors. Maybe the leaders will get it one day.
Spartan
We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty.
(I refer you to what Nightward said)
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Bob_Richter
05/04/02 06:13 PM
134.121.157.14
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Be safe, friend.
-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter
Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.
They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.
:)
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The_Nice_Guy
05/06/02 07:25 AM
165.21.7.5
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Good to hear from you. Keep your morale up. I know it's tough, but you know that is the only way to ensure the safety of your family and loved ones.
As for hoping that things ever get better, it will be up to the Palestinians to realize that it is up to THEM to effect change in their leadership, and that the way of terror is the one least likely to succeed.
The Arab men you mentioned, the workers who wish only to earn a living, food for their children, and a roof over their heads, these are the ones who have to step forward and tell their leaders in block letters, "NO MORE".
No more dying, no more suicide bombing, no more fighting and no more calls for jihad. Only then will there be peace and a future.
Why can't they understand that? Or are they just as passive as the rest, or even sympathisers deep down in their hearts?
They can see you as an individual, a living, breathing being with hopes and fears, when you are face to face, but when it comes to prayer time, it suddenly becomes "Death to all Jews". Why can't they see that it's wrong?
Similarly, your people will have to impress on your leaders the bitter cost of this conflict, though I find myself of two minds whether Sharon was right or wrong in ordering the assault.
Still, maybe things will get better as soon as this blows over...
Yeah, and pigs can fly...
The Sad Guy
Beyond common courage. The mark of a true soldier.
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KamikazeJohnson
05/06/02 12:00 PM
209.202.47.12
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>>They can see you as an individual, a living, breathing being with hopes and fears, when you are face to face, but when it comes to prayer time, it suddenly becomes "Death to all Jews". Why can't they see that it's wrong? <<
That's always been the case with war...there are many stories from WWI about troops from opposite sides exchanging gifts at Christmas, eating, drinking, and singing songs together, then trying to kill each other again the next day. It never has made sense, and I'm sure it never will
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
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Hellbringer
05/06/02 08:09 PM
192.195.234.26
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Hey man, do what you gotta do and keep yourself safe. These boards benefit greatly from your posts.
"But it SHOULD be a spectacle! It should be grand and exciting to us all! I'd hate to think that we've become so jaded that we find even our greatest tiumph, resurrecting the Star League, simply one more obligation."
-General Victor Steiner-Davion (First Prince and Archon in exile) 3064
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NathanKell
05/06/02 10:18 PM
24.44.238.62
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In this case, some news *is* good news--glad to hear you're OK.
It is also very, very comforting to know that the dream of peace is alive...and that that dream is nourished by kindness such as yours, in the midst of such turmoil, strife, and tragedy.
I have heard it said that the people are far ahead of their leaders; it is heartening to see just how far. My hope is that that lead will shorten from the rear, not the front.
It seems to me--and I freely admit I say this from a distance, take it as you will--that you cannot have the smile and the words without the rifle...but you cannot have the rifle without the smile. The former will not give you protection, the latter security. It is on both sides and both fronts that we all must progress--and your letter has shown me just how much progress is possible--and, moreover, how much is already made.
Take care.
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
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