Although I don’t often link to it — its focus is mainstream politics and foreign policy, subjects I don’t often blog about — one of my most frequently read blogs is Obsidian Wings. One of the co-bloggers at Obsidian Wings, Andrew Olmsted, who posts — posted — as G’Kar, is a soldier (as well as a considerable Babylon 5 fan). He was killed in Iraq this week.
A man of foresight, G’Kar had written a post to be published in the event of his death. That’s panache.
In his post, G’Kar requests his death not be used as ammunition in either pro-war or anti-war arguments; please respect that if you leave any comments, either here or at Obsidian Wings. And please think some good wishes at his family, his friends, and his co-bloggers.
So why am I posting this link? Well: the man was a blogger, after all. He’d want his last post to get a hell of a lot of linkage.
That was sad, yet there were parts that made me laugh. We lost a thoughtful, funny voice. His wife, family and friends lost a lot more.
“Last post” is the British Army bugle-call played at military funerals, incidentally.
Thank you Andrew Olmsted for your sacrifice for the people of our nation and the people of Iraq. As a former Marine wounded in combat years ago I have an idea of what your thoughts were when you left that blog behind. May your family and friends find peace in your final words and in the knowledge that so many of us will treasure the sacrifice that you made for us and that our children and children’s children will know that men like you give us the life that you reminded us to to remember that we should indeed be thankful for.
Semper Fidelis, Sgt. B.