Peace Dividends

Asked an NPR journalist of U.S. soldiers damaged in Afghanistan direct fire for one hundred everydays, "Was it worth it?" "I can't answer that question." She asks more hesitantly again of another veteran, "Was it worth it to you?" A good soldier, "I can answer that question only as an individual. It was what our Nation asked of us." Neither the question, nor the answer, starts at the beginning. What were this Nation's goals? What were these objectives worth to our Nation's interests? Did we pay more or less than that? Who would dare answer such questions? With a Yes, of course the price was right With a No, of course life, like health, is fathomlessly priceless miraculous exquisite elegant sacred. How was your time in deadly conflict worthwhile to you? How was it not worthwhile to you, your family and friends, future traumatized chronically stressed nationalistic generations? What would you have done instead if your Nation had not asked this soldiering on from you? This calculated exposure to high stress, anxiety, environmental toxins, destroyed property, collective terror fear anger loss wounds death of friends, allies other organic species, death of people you aimed toward with lethal accuracy, empathic trauma inside. Why are we civilians so quick to celebrate our soldiers' shared response to what our governments ask of our young adults? Why is "I can't answer that" a sufficient answer to "Was violence worth the price to you?" But, when we consider tragedies (despairing comedies?) for all EarthTribes from global climate degeneration, When will curious journalists ask, Was our violence against terror and trauma worth our absence of peaceful returns? When will global soldiers ask and answer It was what Earth asked of Me and asks of We, planting trees and grasses, healing rivers lakes wetlands organic topsoil, protecting parched forests and thirsty endangered species. What does Earth ask of us? What are Her public health care goals? What are these objectives worth to our resilient EarthTribe interests? Are we, as a species, and as individuals, paying too much? Not enough standing at attention? Just right with left bicameral bipartisan saluting even-handed bilateral intelligence for future EarthTribe wealth is peaceful health optimizing regenerations.