The stretch for me is somehow, talking about it is living in fear. And to say the USA has Zero control over this? Many think we started and have to control ourselves. Maybr not you, but many think this is a war we started with Islam.
That is so anti-freedom, I don't know what else to say. Yet, living in fear of mortar is not the same as living in fear of crucifixion, slow mutliation by your fellow humans or being burned alive.
At your base, the Sharia Gestapo, was not allow to "question" you.
There is the fear associated with cold, rough duty. For that you had training in honor and courage, esprit de corp, etc. You had a command structure committed to force protection,
radar and anti-mortar, mortar, right? You could fight back.
My buddy told me a story about mortar attack in Nam. He was on the Airbase way back in the Conex stacks. He couldn't make it to the prepared trenches. And they managed to land a few in the stacks. He said he was running around crouching in corners panting like a mad dog for the entire barrage.
Think of the mother with daughters and an already dead husband in Mosul. She lives in real fear.
For us Americans, talking about this how we gird ourselves against the raw fear.