The man I loved & dated through high school & planned to marry, was a Marine & was killed in Vietnam. He had just turned 20 three days before his death.
He believed in what he was doing.
His letters kept coming, that was tough.
Even after years, several times a year I would dream he was coming home, only to wake up...
I went to therapy for another reason, however a benefit was coming to terms with his loss.
One night I had a dream that he came home. I knew I finally accepted his death.
http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/50975/THOMAS-TAMILIO/
The good news, today Vietnam is viable & trades with countries, they are in the 21st century.
The bad news, I don't see this happening in Afghanistan.