Tag Archives: American wars

The brave aren’t necessarily heroes

The discussion of the meaning of the Confederate flag has called attention to the crucial distinction between bravery and heroism. Confederate soldiers were famously brave fighters; but it was bravery in the service of racism and slavery. If it was heroism, it was heroism to those who wanted to continue that racist slavery- based way […]

Iraq : once more unto the breach? (seriously?)

To intervene or not to intervene. It’s one of the great issues of our time for the few countries powerful enough to consider such a thing. But Iraq for a third time? This should be an easy decision. Iraq’s history is once again not going the way we’d like it to go (those of us […]

The Declining Reputation of War [op-ed CCT 13 November 2012]

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day; it marked the end of what was known as the World War, when it was the only one, or the Great War. The verdict is in: the Great War wasn’t worth it. At least so you’d have to conclude from its treatment in popular culture. “Downton Abbey,” the […]

Afghanistan: no country for young men and women [November 2009 / CCT]

In this season of thanksgiving, you know what I’m thankful for? I’m thankful my cannon fodder-age son is not inclined to serve his country in Afghanistan. It must be the worst thing in the world to lose a child in a war of dubious necessity . We say about the increasing numbers of casualties returning […]

The illusion of intervention American-style [July 2009 / CCT]

President Obama has been drawing fire for the anti-exceptionalism tenor of his foreign policy speeches. He is daring to admit that we are not an exception to the long and sorry cautionary history of self-interested nations. He’s saying we need a little humility, to the extent even of being willing to come down off our […]