A British soldier’s view of Operation Cast Lead

Many thanks to Daniel Yates for contributing this article to Coffee House.  Daniel was a British soldier with the Intelligence Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is writing under a pseudonym. 
– Pete Hoskin

Having completed numerous combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, I watched the television footage of Israeli soldiers deploying on Operation Cast Lead with a jolt of familiarity.  I saw the emotions that I have felt in the past.  I was eager to do my job properly, I had confidence in my abilities and those of my comrades, but I was also apprehensive.  That apprehension was not just the fear of what harm may have come to me or my mates, but also the worry that my judgement would fail if I was called upon to make the snap decision to take another’s life.  The pressure of these conflicting emotions coupled with the stress of battle is immense.