Memorial Day Anguish/Pentecostal Fire
May 27, 2007, 5:44 am
Posted by Robert P. Imbelli
Andrew Bacevich’s poignant reflections on his son and his country in today’s Washington Post:
In joining the Army, my son was following in his father’s footsteps: Before he was born, I had served in Vietnam. As military officers, we shared an ironic kinship of sorts, each of us demonstrating a peculiar knack for picking the wrong war at the wrong time. Yet he was the better soldier — brave and steadfast and irrepressible.
I know that my son did his best to serve our country. Through my own opposition to a profoundly misguided war, I thought I was doing the same. In fact, while he was giving his all, I was doing nothing. In this way, I failed him.
“… each of us demonstrating a peculiar knack for picking the wrong war at the wrong time.”
I doubt that either of them “picked” the war into which they were thrust. I am a veteran of the Viet Nam era and I doubt that any of the members of the military that I knew felt that they could choose from columns (or doors) A through X when it came going to war.
I do agree with the part of Viet Nam and now Iraq (next, Iran?) being wrong wars. Ever since WWII, with the possible exception of Korea, the US seems to have lost its way when deciding to “keep the world safe for democracy.” But, then, isn’t that one of the signs of an empire in decline – muscle flexing unnecessarily; imposing its ideas on unwilling recipients; etc.?
In today’s New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/28/world/middleeast/28delta.html?_r=1&oref=slogin there is an article about the growing disillusionment of US soldiers with the fact that the Iraqi military is turning out to having many members who are part of the insurgency that is responsible for the death of our troops. Shades of Viet Nam all over again!
All of this, of course, doesn’t make the Bacevich family’s loss any less painful nor their thoughts about “wrong war, wrong time” any less meaningful to them. It is rare to find a “right war, right time” as well.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/05/quote_for_memor.html
28 May 2007
“Memorial Day orators will say that a G.I.’s life is priceless. Don’t believe it. I know what value the U.S. government assigns to a soldier’s life: I’ve been handed the check. It’s roughly what the Yankees will pay Roger Clemens per inning once he starts pitching next month … I know that my son did his best to serve our country. Through my own opposition to a profoundly misguided war, I thought I was doing the same. In fact, while he was giving his all, I was doing nothing. In this way, I failed him.” – Andy Bacevich, Washington Post.
Last year I had the pleasure of reading a book by Andy Bacevich on American Militarism. I also read an article in Commonweal along the same lines. I was y saddened to learn of the loss of Professor Bacevich’s son in Iraq.
I recommend his book and articles to all who wish to learn more about the folly of the militarization of this country and some of the good Professor’s suggestions onhow to correct this terribile evil.
My condolences on the loss of his son.
My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family on this painful Memorial Day.