It may seem odd to think of a deadly sniper as a compassionate, caring soul, but Chris Kyle, the Navy SEAL killed last weekend, proved just how natural it can be.
Kyle — who did four tours in Iraq, earned two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars and is credited with the most sniper kills, some 160, in US military history — was shot to death by a vet he was trying to help deal with mental issues.
Kyle had his morals straight: Taking out bad guys — terrorists and insurgents who meant to harm Americans and destabilize regions — is the compassionate thing to do.
“It was my duty to shoot, and I don’t regret it,” he said, noting that his sniper skills saved the lives of countless Americans. That includes not just his targets’ would-be military victims, but also folks back home who sleep safely and guiltlessly thanks to his work and that of heroes like him.
Kyle knew some would frown on his work. Many, he said, “live in a dream world” with nary a clue about the “harsh realities” on “the other side of the world.” There are “certain things,” he said, “that need to be done” to protect folks.
Back home, Kyle earned a reputation for kindness and humanity. For example, he helped form a charity to aid troubled vets.
So it was no surprise that when his final moments came, he was doing just that.