Since starting this assignment, I've spent countless hours reading about violent extremists, their atrocities, their motivations, their propaganda. I've seen shocking images of their brutality. For the most part I've been able to compartmentalize the horror. But the gruesome images of the Jordanian pilot being burned alive really got to me. It's a profound reminder that what we're trying to accomplish matters. It's not just fodder for our EERs. So while I probably won't stop complaining about the State Department's bureaucracy and silly policies, I also need to remember the people who are affected by what we do.
