1. HYPERLINK quot;
http://nicoletorralba.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/%e2%80%9cwhat-was-asked-of-us%e2%80%9d-reading-journal-pg-108-164/quot;
quot;
Permanent Link to What Was Asked of Us Reading Journal pg.108-164quot;
“What Was Asked of Us” Reading Journal pg.108-164<br /> “The first thing for me in Iraq was paranoia. It doesn’t matter who it is, they’re probably trying to kill you, and that’s just the understanding you have to come to. You can’t trust anyone, ever, for anything. If you see someone on the street, they’re a threat, and you have to understand that and learn that and just live in total fear and paranoia 24-7 for a year. There are 155 mm rounds blowing up on the side of the road, mortar rounds landing on you, rockets landing on you, kids shooting at you. It’s just nonstop almost the whole time.” (Wood/Hatcher 122).<br />This quote totally changed my views on the soldiers in Iraq. In the past, I used to think that soldiers were fearless and knew everything that they were getting into. I was completely wrong when I started reading this quote from the novel. I never thought that soldiers were paranoid about gunfire because I would think that they would be very familiar with it as they are exposed to it often during training, but I guess I was completely off with my assumption. I didn’t know how much they fear the Iraqis even the children. They don’t know if their friend is really their enemy. This would frighten me completely because I am already quite paranoid myself. If I were sent into the battle front and behind enemy lines, I would have a panic attack. I commend the men and women that put their lives on the line for us. They let us have our freedom. We continue to live peaceful lives while they are out in the middle of nowhere fearing for their lives. They are the ones that have the courage to leave their family and friends and everything that they have worked to get to in life. They have sacrificed so much so that all of us don’t have to sacrifice our hopes and dreams. Thank you to all American soldiers that are serving in the war today and all veterans who have served in the war. You people are my heroes!<br />