Am I Angry?

In the last few months, I had been asked many times, "aren't you angry at the Army? Don't you wish they would pull the soldiers out?" That statement alone makes me furious! NO I am not angry at the Army, they did not put that IED there, they did not detonate it. I am furious at the *$#%&#$%* Iraqi's who placed it and detonated it. As I answer no, I see utter confusion on their face and I think, here we go, I need to explain why again. I launch into my story about Joel...why he was in the Army. Joel beleived whole heartedly in what he, his soldiers and the Military as a whole is trying to accomplish in Iraq and Afghanistan, he knew that if we sat back after Sept 11, 2001 our country would continually be in a state of terror, with attacks occuring frequently. He wanted to make sure that our daughters, their children and your children could grow up in a country free of terror, with the freedoms that we had. Joel loved the Army very much, beleived in it and treasured all the lessons and experience he had gained in his 15 years in the Army. I know my story would be different if Joel had different feelings about the Army and our goals in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they aren't. I am sure that he had his own little things that he was not sure about, but the big picture is, he beleived in our goals and did it proudly and honorably. I also think that since I was in the Army and felt very similar to the way my husband felt, I can be more at peace with what happened and why he died. I don't mean this to say that I don't miss my husband, damn it I do, more than I ever thought I could miss one person, love one person. I also honor him by remembering why we can stand up at hockey games/basketball games.....and sing along with the national anthem, hold our hands over our heart, drive around daily and not worry that some random act of terror is going to come crushing down on us, not if our military and our country can help it. That I remember daily, each time I think of him, each time I hear comments about our military, our country, our president. I remember why these people can say those things....because of the ultimate sacrifice that so many men and women have paid, the strength, honor and courage to do what many of us won't. So, no I am not angry...not at all, I am sad, I am hurt, but I am not angry at the reason why he died. I am proud of my husband and all that he accomplished in his33 years on this earth.