September 11. A Day of Awareness

9.11

I couldn’t think of much to write on this tragically historic day…

The only topic that came to mind was from Hubby.

He bought a book for me and read it first.

The reason he bought it for me was because he thought it would be about horses.

The reason he read it first was because he knew it was about American military history and that is his thing.

The book

THE BOOK

It ends up that the book has little to do with the horses that were used in Afghanistan and everything to do with telling that particular war story.

The reason I’m writing about any of it is because you might not know that American soldiers had to fight in Afghanistan on horses – in 2001.

You see, the landscape in Afghanistan is primitive, rocky and uneven. Horses were the only way to access the areas the soldiers needed to take over. So, manned with GPS and radios to their skyward backup, the soldiers went in on horseback.

Wow.

This is a photograph from the book

The book doesn’t speak much about the horses. I copied a few of the pbotos that showed equines. In one, they called a donkey a ‘mule’… so, you can conclude how much the author focused on the equine.

All of the equine soldiers were left in Afghanistan. But, they were also bought over there so I guess that is to be expected.

This looks like a heavily weighted donkey, to me

ANOTHER HORRIBLE DETAIL THAT WE NEED TO KNOW

One part of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq that you may not know is that one of the reasons the soldiers are so calloused to animals and kids – is because they are used as bomb carriers. Especially donkeys.

(deep breath)

BE THANKFUL

I bow my head in thanks towards all those who fight for us.

I bow my head for all of those who gave their lives on this day 10 years ago – and for those who have lost their lives during all of the wars.