A Sad Sight

Yesterday morning, as I was waiting to cross the street to campus, a police-escorted caravan rode by, including three buses and about five following cars. At first, I thought that maybe it was some politician and his/her entourage, but as the buses went by, I saw that they were full of uniformed soldiers. I then realized that this caravan was heading towards the airport, and that the vehicles following the buses were probably family members and friends who would see their loved ones head off to Iraq. The soldiers on the buses appeared to be sitting in silence, looking out the windows as they rode by. I can't claim to know what was going through their minds: fear, pride, excitement? What I do know is that I was very sad for these men and women and their families, because they're being exploited by the government that they trusted enough to enlist. I hope that everyone on those buses returns home safely and soon.