I must admit that I am very conflicted about war, including our current war in Iraq. I have friends who have served (and been seriously injured) in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that makes me a little upset about us being there. But I also have a few good friends who are Iraqis and who support the war, so it puts me in a tough spot. Most days, I'm not sure how I feel about it, so I usually just keep my mouth shut.
But one thing I know as of 10 minutes ago is that I'm angry. I just found out (see the link in my title) that prostate cancer has been linked to Agent Orange exposure. For those of you who don't know (or are too young to remember), Agent Orange was a chemical used during the Vietnam War by our own country. Sad part is, when it was dumped on the Vietnamese, it also was dumped on the soldiers we had there fighting the war. Many have died from diseases caused by that exposure. My dad served in Vietnam and has had two guys from his squad die in the last couple of years from that exposure. We just found out today that my dad's prostate cancer very well could have been caused by his exposure to the chemical. When we were at the VA Hospital yesterday for his consultation on how to deal with the cancer, he was asked to be tested for Agent Orange exposure. Apparently, heart disease also is a side effect of the chemical. My dad has that, too. Our government will provide added monetary benefits to anyone who is eligible, but how is that a great thing when these people are facing diseases that can't be cured thanks to the stupidity and bravado of our own government. 30+ years ago? It just makes me sick to my stomach, and doesn't one bit help my inner conflict over the whole idea of war.
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