The Sandstorm

My initial reaction to Sean Huze’s play, “The Sand Storm”, was that of shock and sorrow. The characters’ were so honest, their feelings, so raw. Never before have I been exposed to such brutal circumstances. The more I read, the more I felt. I could not stop reading the words of these soldiers. Each and every one has been exposed to a life-altering experience that they will never be able to escape.

I have not been to war, nor do I want to go. I have only seen movies and documentaries about war. Is that an experience similar to that of these soldiers? No, I don’t think so. Did they know when they enlisted they would actually go to war? When our President gave the word that the United States was heading to war, fear was the first feeling I felt. What did that really mean? Were we as a nation about to experience being bombed in our own neighborhoods? In my mind it was possible. However, our enemies were the ones who really had to worry. US Troops invaded their countries and killed their people. Innocent men, women and children being blown to smithereens. As noted by LCPL Dodd, “Yeah, there’d been some “collateral damage”. That’s the nice way of saying we killed a bunch of civilians”. There was no looking back and no time to second-guess yourself. I believe the mentality of these soldiers was “shoot or be shot“, “kill or be killed“, “defend, or die trying“. How does a man feel about shooting innocent people; killing them as if their lives meant less than their own. After reading this play I felt these men put their “human side” up on a shelf and acted as machines. It was the only way they would survive.


"Collateral Damage"


One of these soldier’s experiences stood out to me, gave me goose bumps. Doc Matthews discussed how the Marines ripped through a particular town with no bloodshed, at least not on our side. He came to a burned up car with three dead bodies inside and a man lying outside of the vehicle, still alive. The situation was more than Doc could stand and he breaks down, while hugging and telling the wounded man how sorry he was for killing his innocent family. The man replies, “not your fault. I blame Saddam. You, you Americans are a gift from Allah. You are here to deliver us from Saddam. I only wish I could have gotten my family out sooner.” If I were Doc Matthews, that would haunt me for the rest of my life. I am happy that Doc was able to find comfort in this man’s words.

"...you are here to deliver us from Saddam"

It amazes me how our minds work when faced with such a horrific situation, such as war. For example, CPL Waters tells us of an assault in Al Kut. There were minimal, if any, injuries to civilians. He says, “it was kinda’ nice to look around afterwards and know that the only dead were the ones who deserved it”. While drinking from his canteen he notices a movement. He walks over and finds what is left of an enemy soldier. He begs CPL Waters to kill him. However, that man was not going to be relieved of his pain so easily. CPL Waters recalls his fellow soldiers who were not shown any mercy, why should he? Instead, he finds pleasure in watching this man die a slow and agonizing death. Where else, expect in war, would we justify such behavior?

Although this play opened my eyes to the “truth” that war brings to us, it was comforting to know that the civilians, who just happened to live in the wrong place, at the wrong time, were normal people. They lived in neighborhoods just like me. Their kids played ball in the fields, just like I once did. They had refrigerators and candy and they cooked family meals, just like me. And yet, their country was in the midst of a war that seemed to have no end. They welcomed the soldiers and were thankful for their help. Their kindness helped to “undo” the awfulness they had endured for the past months. As SGT Casavecchia described, “It was kinda‘ nice to feel human again…not some machine void of emotion.”

I can only imagine the struggle these men go though on a daily basis with their thoughts and emotions. How do they “go back” to their regular way of life if/when they return home? How do they express the reality of what they have been through? Can we really comprehend the depth of their experience by reading a play or book? Only a fellow soldier can truly grasp the “truth” that lies within “The Sand Storm”.

images obtained from: www.chris-floyd.com/war/
click here for a link to a page of touching poems about the Iraq war: http://www.chris-floyd.com/war/

http://www.chris-floyd.com/war/