I'm sure you have seen and heard about the recent upsurge in violence between Hamas and Israel along the Gaza strip.  Palestinian militants have been firing rockets into Israel.  Rockets have been fired into Jerusalem.  Israeli air force struck back by attacking Gaza City.  Another Middle East war is on the horizon.  The usual suspects are going to be fighting.  The fighting there never seems to end.  I do believe all Israel wants is to live in peace.  Hamas, and other Palestinian militants will have none of that.  So, another costly war is about to start up again.  But, this blog entry is not about that ongoing conflict.  It is about the cost of war and all wars.  I have seen the true cost of war in 'Nam.  The price of war is paid in blood.  It is paid in the blood of the men fighting it and the civilians caught in the middle.  Innocent civilians, such as this baby in the upper right.

Please look at that innocent child.  It is covered in blood.  This baby has no idea what has happened.  It seeks comfort from the man holding it and by sucking its thumb.  The baby is probably in shock. When I first saw this on the Drudge Report, I had to fight back the tears.  I've seen this too many times.  Children who only want to play, who want to live, grow up and have children of their own some day.  But, life always gets in the way in the Middle East.  I have no idea if this child is Israeli, Palestinian or whatever it is.  It doesn't matter what its nationality, religion, race or whatever.  This is a baby.  This is the cost of war.  Look at that baby covered in blood.  Where is the mother?  Is that the father holding it?  I doubt it.  It may have lost both mother and father.  We may never know what happened to its parents.  But, this baby will grow up, and, if it lost its parents to this conflict, another Palestinian or Israeli will grow up with hate and bitterness.  It never ends.  It just never ends.  This baby is the true cost of war.