Lions of Kandahar

I just finished this book by Major Rusty Bradley who was a Green Beret fighting in Afghanistan. The way the book ended moved me greatly and I wanted to share:

“If in fact it is your time to be called before God, you typically won’t know it. Sometimes you will, and these are the hardest of times. When the blood pours from your nose and down your throat, clogging it, causing you to spit and gag. You heave for breath in the smoke and dust. Your equipment seems to suffocate you. You wipe the salty sweat and grime from your eyes, only to realize it is blood, either yours or that of the enemy. You would stand but you can’t move your legs. You grasp the open, gaping wounds in your body, trying not to pass out from the pain. You feel the anger thinking of the loved ones you will never see again, and losing your life infuriates your soul. You rage to get to your feet and grab for a weapon, any weapon. Regardless of your race, culture, or religion, you want to die standing. Fighting like a warrior, an American, so others won’t have to. For those looking for a definition, this is the price of freedom.” (274).