The Sand Storm: Stories from the Front by Sean Huze

Is it worth the sacrifice?          

            After reading Sean Huze’s play “The Sand Storm: Stories from the Front” I can not think of another piece of writing that has given me such a roller coaster of emotions. Reading a piece of literature such as this on a topic so relevant and sensitive to the American society, I think gives me more of a unique position as I can be a little more open minded with it since not having as many preconceived notions on the conflict and politics behind it as most Americans were subjected to after 9/11.

To be honest I did have to read the play twice, the first time to make a list of all the military jargon, so I could look up the meaning of all the acronyms. Never being exposed to any military talk prior I genuinely wanted to learn, so I could easily understand what Sean Huze was trying to convey to his play. After familiarizing myself with the lingo, I proceeded to re-read the play. The second time made the story even more addicting and engrossing than the first.

The rawness and “in your face “ brutality of the story was a fact that we as “civilians” rarely experience first hand, but this story makes one  think you are right there with the marines. Huze expressed just how all the men in his company find their experiences from Iraq, when asked to talk about them quite hazy or a blur. I could not help but ponder if this were due to, if they got down to the brass tacks of what happened to them and how it made them feel and still does then it would be just too much for them to take. He describes the climate and living conditions of Iraq in such vivid detail that I can almost feel the sweat dropping down my face, “I felt like a chicken pot pie in a microwave.” (Huze 7)

Each war in our history has always had a similar tale in that we are sending our children to fight a gown-up or political agenda war. So this certainly hits home when one reads "The Sand Storm".  You realize that the oldest of the outfit is just 27 years old, and the youngest just 18, and these poor young men/children have to spend the rest of their life with memories and mental images.

The war on terror has been and will continue to be a political hot button issue. Sean Huze gives the view from the marines themselves, stripped of all political agenda and gain. The play makes comments and references to politicians and outspoken activists, such as Michael Moore.

Huze quotes in his play a now famous speech made by President George W. Bush, “The question we need to ask ourselves, ‘Is the sacrifice worth it?’” (22). This left me thinking after reading that, if you asked these marines when they returned if they thought the sacrifice was worth it. What would they say?  More importantly ask the wives, mothers, fathers and children of the brave who never came home; did they think the sacrifice of their loved one was worth it?

The following link is to the address given by President George W. Bush to a joint session of congress on the 9/11 attacks:President George W. Bush speech