Andrew Olmsted, Rest In Peace

 
Milblogger Andrew Olmsted was killed yesterday during an ambush in Iraq. He had a blog post prepared for just such an event.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." --Plato

"And maybe now it's your turn... To die kicking some ass." --Freedom Isn't Free, Team America

What I don't want this to be is a chance for me, or anyone else, to be maudlin. I'm dead. That sucks, at least for me and my family and friends. But all the tears in the world aren't going to bring me back, so I would prefer that people remember the good things about me rather than mourning my loss. (If it turns out a specific number of tears will, in fact, bring me back to life, then by all means, break out the onions.) I had a pretty good life, as I noted above. Sure, all things being equal I would have preferred to have more time, but I have no business complaining with all the good fortune I've enjoyed in my life. So if you're up for that, put on a little 80s music (preferably vintage 1980-1984), grab a Coke and have a drink with me. If you have it, throw 'Freedom Isn't Free' from the Team America soundtrack in; if you can't laugh at that song, I think you need to lighten up a little. I'm dead, but if you're reading this, you're not, so take a moment to enjoy that happy fact...

Please read it all.

Dan Riehl and the Weekly Standard have more.

Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by. That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.