The war on terror and what not

It's been a little over a year since I've been back from Iraq, and it still boggles my mind how much my perspectives have changed. While I has there, I actually believed in what we were doing. I believed that we were helping to make a better world for the Iraqis. Such naivete. I'd say I was hardcore conservative and right-wing. Many a times I've debated with my more liberal friends, a rarity in the Marine Corps, on such political subjects as the Gulf Wars: Episode II - Clone of the Attack

Coming back to American soil made me slowly see the other side. The side that, being in the military, we were not exposed to very often. I remember visiting my friend in UCLA, we were meeting at the neighborhood bookstore. There was a crowd of people outside at the busy intersection, protesting the war. I naturally walked up to them, asking what exactly they were protesting about? I was still under the illusion that I fought for the freedom of the American people, you see, that I helped make a better world "over there." They explained to me that they were not protesting against the troops, Americans have learned since Vietnam I guess, but the reason why we are at war. They said that Bush lied to us on many accounts and our young men and women should not even be there right now. These words fell on deaf ears, as I was still puffed up. "I fought in the war, I'm a combat veteran dammit!" I felt pretty self rightous as I slowly explain to these civilian, as one would explain to retarded children, what terrorists are and what we need to do about them. God, such arrogance. Well, I walked away feel pretty satisfied with myself after rebutting everything the protestors tossed at me, purely by the virtue that I'm a combat veteran, only to feel foolish now, after a year of self reflection and education about the real reasons behind the war. Yay.