Scheherazade Cat - The Story of a War Hero

Book excerpt: We humans are capable of great good. In the time that our species has been on Earth, we have done remarkable things to improve the human condition. But a dark and horrible side of our nature often comes to the surface in the form of military conflict. With sad regularity, our leaders become filled with greed, intolerance, and lust for power, resulting in bloodshed and cruelty that has become more and more horrible as our methods of killing become more efficient. Indeed, war is the most hideous of human experiences and is tragically a regular feature of our history. However, in the midst of wartime horror, sometimes people and events come together and give some hope that, in the end, the positive aspects of human nature will triumph over our evil side. Scheherazade Cat: The Story of a War Hero is an example of how love, loyalty, and kindness can shine through the darkness of war, and restore faith in the human spirit. This is the true story of Lieutenant David Haines, a United States Army chemical weapons officer, and Scheherazade, a calico kitten from Failaka Island, Kuwait. He met her while performing a mission there during the Persian Gulf War. Scheherazade was playing with a small bomb during this meeting, but fortunately it did not detonate. Seeing this alerted Lt. Haines to the presence of other mines, allowing his squad to retreat safely. Recognizing that this encounter may have saved his life and those of his men, the soldier adopted Scheherazade and brought her to America. This is a simple tale about a chance encounter, but it is also a heartwarming lesson that showing kindness and loyalty to a small creature in the midst of extreme danger brings out the best in us. For this reason, the message of this book is a positive one that demonstrates the value of compassion and goodness.