Our middle son experience this war culture during his service for the U.S. Army in the Sadr City portion of Baghdad in 2007. He came out with PTSD and survivor's guilt, committing suicide by gunshot to the head ten years later. My perspective does not disregard the greater affliction committed against Iraqis, Afghans, and others, but emphasizes the fact that more soldiers die by suicide than during the war, itself. My son did things contrary to normal human instinct, and suffered for it.
I was struck by Coughlin's chapter being titled "Thou Shalt Kill," which reminded me of the opening scenes in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which depicts the training process whereby the US military tries to turn people into mass killers.
I am reminded of the Clint Eastwood directed movie, "American Sniper," about Chris Kyle, another nationally honored killer of innocent people. After spending three years in the Army, 1966-1969, the last thing I would want to endorse is the person who kills others from such a distance, with such a weapon, that s/he is never in harm's way him/herself. Snipers are glorified cowards, who risk nothing in their pursuit of a record number of kills. That our society celebrates such people is as astonishing to me, as it is disgusting.
I don't know if Eastwood ever offered an anti-war motive in regard to his earlier masterwork, 1986's celebration of the 1983 US invasion of Grenada, "Heartbreak Ridge." For a person who could make "The Bridges of Madison County" and "The Unforgiven," he seems to have a blind spot when war and imperialism are at issue. Unfortunately, his audience suffers from a comprehensive ignorance of history. And so it goes...
Reading just the review of this murderous book made me feel both angry and sick. I cannot imagine reading the book, let alone writing it or living the experiences in it. How can we ever grow into a healthy country with such deep pathology at our core? When we define our power and status in the world by our ability to kill and torture we can only destroy ourselves as well as others. I long for a world built of healthy materials.
Our middle son experience this war culture during his service for the U.S. Army in the Sadr City portion of Baghdad in 2007. He came out with PTSD and survivor's guilt, committing suicide by gunshot to the head ten years later. My perspective does not disregard the greater affliction committed against Iraqis, Afghans, and others, but emphasizes the fact that more soldiers die by suicide than during the war, itself. My son did things contrary to normal human instinct, and suffered for it.
I was struck by Coughlin's chapter being titled "Thou Shalt Kill," which reminded me of the opening scenes in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which depicts the training process whereby the US military tries to turn people into mass killers.
My sincere condolences.
When they build nuclear weapons/guided missiles, commit crimes against humanity, kill with impunity; there’s a disgrace on the human race.
Looks like the unipolar murderous bully is in his last throes. Just hoping he doesn't have a nuclear tantrum.
I feel you angst.
I am reminded of the Clint Eastwood directed movie, "American Sniper," about Chris Kyle, another nationally honored killer of innocent people. After spending three years in the Army, 1966-1969, the last thing I would want to endorse is the person who kills others from such a distance, with such a weapon, that s/he is never in harm's way him/herself. Snipers are glorified cowards, who risk nothing in their pursuit of a record number of kills. That our society celebrates such people is as astonishing to me, as it is disgusting.
Here's the piece I did on that sick movie back in the day: https://www.counterpunch.org/2015/02/20/hollywoods-service-to-empire/
I don't know if Eastwood ever offered an anti-war motive in regard to his earlier masterwork, 1986's celebration of the 1983 US invasion of Grenada, "Heartbreak Ridge." For a person who could make "The Bridges of Madison County" and "The Unforgiven," he seems to have a blind spot when war and imperialism are at issue. Unfortunately, his audience suffers from a comprehensive ignorance of history. And so it goes...
Eastwood's movie Gran Torino is racist and fascistic as f*#k BTW. That's the revanchism at home, not just abroad. A nasty piece of work.
Reading just the review of this murderous book made me feel both angry and sick. I cannot imagine reading the book, let alone writing it or living the experiences in it. How can we ever grow into a healthy country with such deep pathology at our core? When we define our power and status in the world by our ability to kill and torture we can only destroy ourselves as well as others. I long for a world built of healthy materials.
Have yet to read this book but it is supposed to be very much about how domestic right wing extremist movements draw heavily on veterans from imperial wars abroad. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674286078