POST SCRIPTS

Jack, as you know, I can't and wouldn't second guess his decision, I wasn't there. But this shows a circumstance of combat that the people who do second guess men like Luttrell have no inkling of. MAKING A DECISION UNDER FIRE!

Luttrell did what thousands of Military people have to do. Make hard decisions and live with the personal demons that come from the outcome.

It would be easy, in hindsight to say, "He should have killed them." But then Luttrell, who had already decided the people were non-combatants, would have carried that with him the rest of his life. We only know in hindsight, that, of course, he would rather carry that burden than the deaths of his fellow sailors.

For me, where the down right awe for these men comes from, is the fact that in this war, against these animals, our military does more to limit the deaths of civilians than any military in history. Not just because they have political leaders and media who act like impudent sports referees, just waiting to pull their hanky for the slightest foul, But because they are very moral people. They aren't mindless robots, like some would have you believe.

I wish, the next time someone thought about talking down our military for their morals or their intellect, they would have to say it to a man like Luttrell. But that would take something that they don't have, and Luttrell oozes....Courage!

Jack, thanks so much for posting Luttrell's incredible story. We don't hear enough about what is happening or about the incredible efforts of these brave and committed Americans.

I wish, the next time someone thought about talking down our military for their morals or their intellect, they would have to say it to a man like Luttrell.

I wish the people in DC had to face this fine man, and all of the many others like him, every single day before they begin to do "the people's work." Perhaps it would inspire some humility and gratitude. They seem to be emotionally detached. They take a dry, distant approach to their responsibilities toward our fighting forces and their mission. It's unconscionable.

Did Petty Officer Luttrell make the right decision? In the final analysis was his decision moral? What does his conscience tell him when he wakes up at 3 am trembling and in a cold sweat? What do his team mates tell him when they enter his dreams late at night?

Luttrell did nothing wrong. He was involved in a greater risk endeavor with extreme consequences. A choice had to be made. In war many outcomes are possible whenever a choice is made. All he could do was what he thought was the honorable thing in the moment. From my perspective, he did not put his buddies in greater danger by his decision...they were all in danger due to the mission...a mission brought on by evil men.

"I didn't want to go to jail." Ultimately, the core of his decision was moral. "A frogman has two personalities. The military guy in me wanted to kill them," he recalled. And yet: "They just seemed like -- people. I'm not a murderer."

Does anything speak more loudly or profoundly about the moral standing of our military than this?!!!! These men put themselves at greater risk by trying to spare the lives of innocents...in a WAR for heavens sake!

If I were his teammate I would affirm him and his decision, without hesitation. God bless him...God bless them all.