The war in the Middle East claimed the lives of three United States soldiers last week.  The attack last weekend also injured more than 40 others when militants launched a drone attack on the Tower 22 outpost in Jordan.

            Sgt. William Rivers, Specialist Kennedy Sanders, and Specialist Breonna Moffett, were reported to be asleep in the early morning hours when the attack struck their housing facility.

            There have been about 165 attacks in the Middle East on the United States and coalition forces since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.  And, they continue – six more attacks since last Friday.

            President Biden has promised a military response to the attack that was supposedly done by Iran-backed terrorists but has now been linked to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes the militant group Kataib Hezbollah.

            Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, responded that his country would not back down from an attack amid reports that the US is preparing retaliatory strikes in the Middle East.

            So the saber-rattling goes. Chest-thumping, fist-thrusting, threatening words, dirty looks, pointing fingers, and idle threats mean nothing to those who are hell-bent on delivering death and destruction to whoever gets in their way.

            So think about the soldiers who died and say a prayer for their families and friends that they can find peace in their hearts and minds that their loved ones were truly heroes.

            Then, say a prayer that somehow the world will find peace. If not by diplomacy, then it will have to be by strength. Weakness will only feed the violence.

            Let's hope our leaders choose the right path and don't let them die in vain.