7/26/2013 nbcnews.com: 'I risked my life, for what?': Iraq War veterans chilled by country's slide into civil war

As they watch Iraq's mounting body count and potential slide into civil war, some Iraq War veterans are more intensely questioning why they went, what it all meant, and whether the deaths of 4,486 U.S. troops on that foreign soil were worth the permanent cost.

Welcome to the world of the Vietnam veteran. Hang in there brother. Time will heal the wound but it's going to leave one hell of a scar that will always ache. Occasionally you'll reflect upon that scar and remember the guys lost, the disillusionment, the feeling of betrayal. Each time that happens, put it back in the box, close the lid and put it in the back of our mind. Vet to vet - Not doing so will only fuck up the rest of your life.