I haven't been there since the 90's, but yeah cool place.

My brother’s dead.

He was 1 of the 13 troops killed in that bombing.
My sister sent me the headlines when it was first being reported, and I threw up.
I did the math. There was 0.003% chance he was one of them.
But I felt it. I knew. He was my baby. It was too unlikely and too ironic and too tragic to not be real.
I keep being inundated with intrusive images of my baby brother being blown to pieces.
He has been stationed in Syria since Jan 2020. He was just moved to Kabul 8/16. After, of course, the indisposables were evac’d. He was a baby. But just one baby in a pile of an endlessly renewable source of babies sent in to absorb the impact of a war that started when he was 6 months old.

He was 19. He did the shotgun wedding thing and has a wife due to deliver any day now.

My family is flooding social media with right wing articles martyrizing these Fallen Heroes. They all keep saying he “died fighting for freedom.”

Kamala Harris said they saved “countless” lives. Countless because the number is zero, perhaps? Because my brother’s death is ****ing pointless?

I’m so angry. I’m so sick.
I don’t know what to do.

****ing what?

I am so sorry.

Wow WWWP, extremely sorry and sad to hear that. Prayers for you and your family. I wish you and your family the best.

There isn't much you can do, WWWP, except say to people if they really want to support the troops, don't send them to harm's way halfway across the globe to begin with.

Sorry to hear, WWWP

**** Steph. I don't know what to say. That is a ****ing tragedy. I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you, that's absolutely heart-breakingly awful.

I got a work buddy who just joined the Marines and I hope he takes the hint and drops out before boot camp is over. The military is not a jobs program. That **** will kill you if they think it will make money for defense contractors.

I know I just text you but I'll say the same with but also include that if there is anything I/we can do for you during this time, please let me/us know. I'm so sorry this has happened. This is the worst summer I can think of and I'm sorry it dragged you into it. You, your family, and especially your brother, did not deserve this.

Oh I'm so, so sorry. What kind of sick ****ed up world makes this happen and makes you go through it. Anything I say sounds small in the face of this kind of despair, but please get all the help and support you need, and if there's anything, however small or big, that we can do for you just ask.

Steph, I am so terribly sorry about your brother. This is an awful tragedy and I'm heartbroken for you and your family. How angry, shocked, sickened you must feel right now, I can't even begin to imagine. I am so very sorry.