Vengeance, Not Revenge

It's vengeance, not revenge.News travels fast with our high-speed society and it dies out almost as fast. If you're not paying attention, you might miss something important, like what we're about to tell you. Some time ago U.S. forces in Niger were ambushed by ISIS-supported forces. The end of that firefight was tragic for our men in uniform. We lost four brave souls that day. It was a hard hit for us as a nation to take. The loss of these men was highly publicized and certain politicians made a spectacle out of the entire ordeal. The nation mourned, but their brothers prepared.It's not revenge, it's vengeance. There is a difference, while revenge seeks to even the playing field for a slight, fueled by anger and hate, vengeance is at least different in our minds. The difference is not noticeable to many, but to a select few, they can tell the difference. There is no fervor or spontaneous outbursts of rage, rather there is steadfast, serious dedication to training and preparation to exact vengeance upon the enemy.Recently released by U.S. Africa Command, the combined forces of the United States and Niger came under attack roughly two months after the ambush that claimed four of their brethren. This time, the tide was turned on the enemy. On December 6th, the combined forces were operating near the Lake Chad Basin. This time though, this time, the U.S. forces and their Nigerien counterparts exacted righteous vengeance.While we don't know for certain if the eleven militants killed were part of the ambush that took place in October, we know there are eleven less radical militants. It's vengeance, not revenge. While we can't bring back those that are fallen, we can raise a glass to them knowing that the blood of our enemy has been spilled in righteous vengeance on their behalf. May their souls rest easy now. Fair winds and following seas from these Marines.