Not feeling threatened does not mean there is no real threat.
Maybe you are a bit out of touch with what is happening around you?This is Iraq we are talking about.
You may have a change of this feeling once your engine stops and you have to land somewhere "safe" and unsecured with no search and rescue.
I feel much safer at home than in any military base, especially one in Iraq.
But thats only me.
If there is no danger as you say, why do you say: "life gets a sharper edge" ?
I think the issue is company obligation and responsibity toward their employees to have systems in place to reduce their risk within limits.
If a construction worker feels safe without his helmet on site, does that relieve the construcion company of their safety obligations?
The issue is :
At present, there is no "search and rescue" facility in place for many pilots flying into Iraq because it is too expensive for the companies.
