Unsanctioned

It was the murkiest night the young military commander had ever seen. A furious storm was pushing two American CH-47 Chinook helicopters all over the shadowy skies. Only 500 feet above Persian Gulf waters, both helicopters sliced through the storm toward their target. The deafening roar inside the crew cabin made it hard for anyone to hear their own thoughts.

In Copter 1, Commander Barsetti sat upright and fearless in his green and black army fatigues. A badge on his shoulder simply said “J. Barsetti,” a name he would later have to bury.

Barsetti was young and idealistic. His Italian father had built him into a hardened fighter and a rules-bound leader. Ethics and loyalty oozed out of him. His squadron revered him. If he told his team to walk through fire, they would do it without a second thought. He was a man of deep military honor and a soldier with complete dedication to the defense of his nation. His respect for the chain of command was unmatched, even when the orders left a muddy taste in his mouth.

Today’s mission was to destroy a University filled with future scientists and doctors. When they left the ground, Barsetti had no idea this was what they were tasked with. It challenged his every sense of right and wrong. So he tried one last time to reason with Captain Maddox, the mission’s leader. He leaned towards Maddox and pushed his helmet mic out of the way so only Maddox would hear his words.

“Captain Maddox, those are …kids …down there. They haven’t done anything to anybody, and they probably never will. Most, if not all, will grow up to be scientists, architects, or doctors. Why are we doing this?”

Maddox’s dark eyes landed on Barsetti’s as he replied, “What we’re doing here, Barsetti, is defending our country from those…kids. Thosekids will one day become terrorists. They’re not really going to be doctors and scientists. So, today, we’re fighting fire with fire. We’re not going to stand around anymore like emasculated weaklings who always want to take the moral high ground. Lack of action is what gets our people killed!”

Barsetti leaned back, shell-shocked by what he was hearing. Maddox had always been blunt, but not inthis manner.

Maddox then pointed at the pilots up front and raised his voice above the roar of the helicopter, “Look at them: Proud. Fearless. Those guys would die for their country… and they may have to. I look forward to the day when not one more of my men falls to our disgusting and filthy enemies. That’smy moral high ground… and I hope yours as well.”

Barsetti’s mind spun into high gear as he started to wonder whether the government had sanctioned any part of their mission. Was Maddox the sole conductor of this dark orchestra?

Barsetti continued to listen to the deep-rooted, dark arguments that Maddox u