I have not served in the military, but yesterday, after hearing that the United States and Israel attacked Iran, the hollow feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach in the 1960’s and the early 1970’s came back from my teenage and college years with the Vietnam War. The loss of three of my high school friends in that war remains in my heart as the sacrifices of our service men and women are being called upon once again. I lost another older friend to suicide, who could not deal with what he was asked to do from his helicopter and the women and children who lost their lives from his bullets. I have not witnessed the carnage of the battlefield, or held my best friend in my arms as he said his last words. I can only remember what the Battle of the Bulge did to my Uncle Bill. Women were not allowed in combat positions during the Vietnam War, but I would have volunteered to go, if I could, and if my father, a minister, would have allowed me to do. The Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” rang loudly in our home.

I do not presume to understand military tactics or necessities, but I do recognize that what occurred on Saturday morning should have been approved by the Congress but was not. I do not understand why the American people have not been given any logical reasons for this decision. It grieves me that three servicemen have died and five other servicemen have been critically injured because their bunker was not properly supported, as the retired general from the area said this morning. My heart worries about my Special Forces’ grandson in the army, my former student in the navy, and a young man in the air force from my church who may now be in the live of retaliatory strikes from Iran.

When will the world melt down its weapons into plowshares? Have we not the intelligence and past experiences to realize that WWIII will be fought with nuclear arms, or as Alfred Einstein said, “WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones?” The fact remains that America is not the city on the hill, beckoning all to come to our shores. We are now as Robert Oppenheimer said at the testing of the first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico, “I am become death.” I close, looking out at the flag in the front yard, and praying, “Please, dear Lord, watch over us and may more peaceful minds prevail over us all. It is hard to love your enemies, but love them, we must, as You have taught us to do. Into Your hands, oh Lord, we place our lives and the lives of everyone in this world. A-men.”

Anna Hartt