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.
I think he's wrong about this. Professor Bacevich's work has been admirable and important. I suspect that he has done more to move public opinion against this war than Chomsky and Zinn and all the rest of us lefties combined. Despite the perversity of our political system, which allows this war to continue to claim more lives every day in spite of a clear public consensus against it, Bacevich's work was not been in vain. Teaching is slower and less visible than war, but it is not without its power, and Bacevich's teachings have been powerful indeed. Of course he is entitled to his pain and doubt, but he has also earned our respect.
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