Boyd

Via Malkin.

Jeffrey Starr, a Marine corporal, was killed on April 30. He was profiled this week in the NYT as part of the coverage of 2000 Americans who have died in Iraq. A letter to his girlfriend was found on his laptop. Here is part of his letter that didn't make the NYT:

Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I'm writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark.

Corporal Starr died at 22. How is it possible for a 22 year old to be so humble, so courageous and so wise?

He's right. We're all doing to die and whether you die at 82 or 22, it's a blink of an eye in the real scope of things. What's important is what you do with your time here. And spending your time helping spread freedom to oppressed people is about as noble it gets.