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I swear, women are confusing as hell sometimes. How do I deal w/it?

I've got an ex that's currently in a relationship w/a guy who's in Iraq @the moment. It sucks to know an ex is apparently happier w/someone thousands of miles away, who she might be able to see twice out of the year, than w/the concept of being w/you. A girl who you do so much for, yet, it doesn't seem to matter some days.

I've got a lady friend who sends out a lot of mixed signals. She shrugs off compliments or spurns affection, or she tells me she loves me, we talk, we flirt, we enjoy each other's company. If it wasn't for distance and the complications that can entail, I'd want to be w/her in a heartbeat. I'm not sure some days how she feels about me, despite her telling me so. There's the rub.

That's just a couple examples. The point being, it seems any time a girl I have feelings for, whether past or prospective, shows love and affection towards someone else, it drives me into an irrational inner dialogue. What does he have to offer that I don't? Why the mixed signals? Do you even appreciate the things I've done for you?

Despite the fact I should, I really don't like vocalizing feelings like this, for the fear of all of a sudden, I'm the asshole, and I'll pretty much lose everything because I'm not sure how to handle it. I don't like stirring the pot. So, unfortunately, it often leaves me w/o the balls to stand up and say what I want, and how I truly feel. Sometimes I wonder if this is the problem. That I lack the ability to man up and do what I need to do.

I mean, is it solely me? Is it all in my head? What do I do to fix it? All I know is it's caused a lot of sleepless nights in a bed that gets very lonely.

Do I fight for what I want in my heart? Do I even know what I want? Would it make any difference in the end?

Or am I just nothing but a pathetic, jealous fool?