Death of a young diplomat

Parent Cafe
1

<p>The death of Anne Smedinghoff, a 25 year old US Foreign Service Officer, in Afghanistan, brought tears to my eyes.</p>

<p>[Dad</a> says diplomat killed in Afghanistan had passion for foreign affairs](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/07/diplomat-killed-afghanistan/2060845/]Dad”>Young U.S. diplomat mourned as 'bright and brave')</p>

<p>My heart goes out to her parents. I can’t imagine their pain. We all pour so much love, time and energy into our kids. Then we “launch” them into the world. To lose a child is the worst evil I can imagine.</p>

<p>She sounds like a wonderful young woman.</p>

2

<p>It’s really scary because I want that job.</p>

3

<p>[6</a> Americans, Afghan doctor killed in war’s deadliest day in eight months | gulflive.com](<a href=“http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2013/04/6_americans_afghan_doctor_kill.html]6”>6 Americans, Afghan doctor killed in war's deadliest day in eight months - gulflive.com)</p>

<p>This was a sad day for several American families.</p>

4

<p>…if your post is meant to criticize me for not mentioning the other Americans who died.</p>

<p>As I understand it, the names of the Americans haven’t yet been released. I meant no disrespect to them by posting about the young female Foreign Service officer who died.</p>

5

<p>Foreign Service right out of undergrad (Hopkins) is quite impressive. This isn’t a likely result of taking jobs like these, obviously, but the risk is always there.</p>

<p>Our country lost a good one.</p>

6

<p>I lost my BIL in this mess when I was in middle school. I’m now graduating from college and cannot for the life of me believe we’re still losing people to this. </p>

<p>My heart goes out to her and everyone else who’s lost someone in this war. She was just trying to improve the lives of children over there. Sickening way to go. I suppose her family can likely take comfort in the fact that I’m sure she touched many lives doing what she wanted.</p>

7

<p>My heart goes out to the families of these people:
[Afghanistan:</a> NATO Air Strike Kills 11 Children](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost)</p>

<p>Terrible.</p>

8

<p>yup, sucks when the enemy hides behind innocent children.</p>

<p>watch the U.S. military taking great care not to harm a child here: [Documentary</a> - IED self-destructs, wounding insurgents. Apache pilot: Oh~never mind | AiirSource - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

9

<p>What a chilling video on so many levels.</p>

10

<p>jonri, no I didn’t mean to criticize you. Sorry if you took it that way.</p>

11

<p>10 years, billions of dollars, lives destroyed, and for what? As soon as we leave, I bet the Taliban takes over again. Otherwise we leave Afghanistan in the hands of the corrupt Harmid Karzai. What a waste.</p>

<p>I feel nothing but sorrow for her and her family, but you couldn’t pay me to go to that place.</p>