The Belgravia Dispatch: Mea Culpa (Part II)

July 05, 2009

Mea Culpa (Part II)

Apropos of my last post issuing something of a mea culpa given some of the purportedly overly tiresome neo-con bashing (meaning really too, I guess, all the incessant intellectual squabbling from those removed from the conflict generally, particularly when mostly descending into mere sloganeering, rather than as accompanied by constructive policy criticisms), I thought I'd provide two links from people who have either been on the ground (in Ramadi, Iraq), or have suffered tremendously as a result of a close relative being in theater. The latter piece is particularly compelling, indeed profoundly heart-wrenching, really. And reminds us that were it not for medical advances, the number of dead American soldiers resulting from the Iraq imbroglio would doubtless number well in excess of 10,000-15,000, and counting (the massive Iraqi toll is, of course, unconscionable, if less discussed). To be sure, the phrase 'traumatic brain injury' (or "TBI") deserves to be more widely known as one of the 'signature' wounds of this conflict.

I am not excerpting either article, as both should be read in full. John Renehan's serves as good counter-point to the constant intellectual battling and haranguing here, tacitly admonishing us that whatever one might make of the conflict, some are actually there having to deal with its moral ambiguities day in, day out regardless; while Bethany Vaccaro's piece likely served as something of an exegesis as she grappled with the horribly debilitating injury her brother suffered, and continues to daily, to include the attendant toll on her entire family.

(For some reason, the linked pieces made me think of Ezra Pound's short poem, "An Immorality". Anyway, I recommend both pieces be read in their entirety, particularly, as I said, Vaccaro's).

Posted by Gregory at July 5, 2009 07:50 PM

Comments

An apology laced with recalcitrance. Nice touch.

Vociferousness in the face of unrepentant moral depravity is no vice. The call to "civility" in the face of false moral equivalence is the intellectual disease of our time. Thanks for not being sucked down into the quicksand.

Speaking of quagmire, will the death of McNamara, juxtaposed with Rumsfeld's recent passive admissions, inspire an examination of the "Ends Justify the Means" school of military adventurism? Of couse, when the ends are as unsound as the means, you've got a real problem. Sounds like a job for Wolfowitz. He can rationalize anything.

Posted by: Adams at July 6, 2009 01:36 PM | Permalink to this comment

Exegesis or catharsis?

Watching Tiger Wood's golf tourney yesterday-a noble gesture that he and his dad planned to aid soldiers, and kids-there sat in a chair, observing, a quadriplegic. Oh, wait. That's wrong. What's the right word for some dude with no limbs? Quad-amputee?

I think the announcers said it was from a bomb in Tikrit. Few details followed. Maybe they mentioned something of the Purple Heart; obviously the man is a hero. They said he's got a great sense of humor. The camera zoomed in on him two or three times. I'd guess he was 22. Max.

Later, they introduced him aloud while wheeling him in his chair up the 18th fairway, as the tourney was winding down and once the players had finished their shots. I missed his name. Tiger two putted the 18th, finished, and won his own tourney. Earlier, the tv showed Tiger walk past the hero in the chair and hi-five him with a closed fist. The dude swatted at Tiger's fist with half a limb.

Somewhere in Iraq a war was winding down, much slower than that golf tournament did. The folks in uniform were getting ready for a return of sorts. Maybe to a safer locale, or to home. Maybe to Afghanistan. I wonder if they knew the dude in the chair, and if they knew he had a sense of humor.

Can you imagine? A sense of humor. I wonder if it's a catharsis, too.

Posted by: resh at July 6, 2009 07:46 PM | Permalink to this comment

Yes, the piece on traumatic brain injury is excellent; for some reason, it didn't occur to me until the last couple of years (when these types of injuries became more numerous and thus more publicized) that just a shock wave from an explosion could cause profound brain injury.

My brother-in-law is in Iraq now (went in January, supposedly for a year's duration). He was in Afghanistan for a year a couple years ago. So far, he's remained uninjured (as far as I know). Hopefully, he can continue to beat the odds.

Posted by: Slash at July 7, 2009 12:56 PM | Permalink to this comment

	« Something of A Mea Culpa \| Main \| Biden on Israel/Iran » July 05, 2009 Mea Culpa (Part II) Apropos of my last post issuing something of a mea culpa given some of the purportedly overly tiresome neo-con bashing (meaning really too, I guess, all the incessant intellectual squabbling from those removed from the conflict generally, particularly when mostly descending into mere sloganeering, rather than as accompanied by constructive policy criticisms), I thought I'd provide two links from people who have either been on the ground (in Ramadi, Iraq), or have suffered tremendously as a result of a close relative being in theater. The latter piece is particularly compelling, indeed profoundly heart-wrenching, really. And reminds us that were it not for medical advances, the number of dead American soldiers resulting from the Iraq imbroglio would doubtless number well in excess of 10,000-15,000, and counting (the massive Iraqi toll is, of course, unconscionable, if less discussed). To be sure, the phrase 'traumatic brain injury' (or "TBI") deserves to be more widely known as one of the 'signature' wounds of this conflict. I am not excerpting either article, as both should be read in full. John Renehan's serves as good counter-point to the constant intellectual battling and haranguing here, tacitly admonishing us that whatever one might make of the conflict, some are actually there having to deal with its moral ambiguities day in, day out regardless; while Bethany Vaccaro's piece likely served as something of an exegesis as she grappled with the horribly debilitating injury her brother suffered, and continues to daily, to include the attendant toll on her entire family. (For some reason, the linked pieces made me think of Ezra Pound's short poem, "An Immorality". Anyway, I recommend both pieces be read in their entirety, particularly, as I said, Vaccaro's). Posted by Gregory at July 5, 2009 07:50 PM Comments An apology laced with recalcitrance. Nice touch. Vociferousness in the face of unrepentant moral depravity is no vice. The call to "civility" in the face of false moral equivalence is the intellectual disease of our time. Thanks for not being sucked down into the quicksand. Speaking of quagmire, will the death of McNamara, juxtaposed with Rumsfeld's recent passive admissions, inspire an examination of the "Ends Justify the Means" school of military adventurism? Of couse, when the ends are as unsound as the means, you've got a real problem. Sounds like a job for Wolfowitz. He can rationalize anything. Posted by: Adams at July 6, 2009 01:36 PM \| Permalink to this comment Exegesis or catharsis? Watching Tiger Wood's golf tourney yesterday-a noble gesture that he and his dad planned to aid soldiers, and kids-there sat in a chair, observing, a quadriplegic. Oh, wait. That's wrong. What's the right word for some dude with no limbs? Quad-amputee? I think the announcers said it was from a bomb in Tikrit. Few details followed. Maybe they mentioned something of the Purple Heart; obviously the man is a hero. They said he's got a great sense of humor. The camera zoomed in on him two or three times. I'd guess he was 22. Max. Later, they introduced him aloud while wheeling him in his chair up the 18th fairway, as the tourney was winding down and once the players had finished their shots. I missed his name. Tiger two putted the 18th, finished, and won his own tourney. Earlier, the tv showed Tiger walk past the hero in the chair and hi-five him with a closed fist. The dude swatted at Tiger's fist with half a limb. Somewhere in Iraq a war was winding down, much slower than that golf tournament did. The folks in uniform were getting ready for a return of sorts. Maybe to a safer locale, or to home. Maybe to Afghanistan. I wonder if they knew the dude in the chair, and if they knew he had a sense of humor. Can you imagine? A sense of humor. I wonder if it's a catharsis, too. Posted by: resh at July 6, 2009 07:46 PM \| Permalink to this comment Yes, the piece on traumatic brain injury is excellent; for some reason, it didn't occur to me until the last couple of years (when these types of injuries became more numerous and thus more publicized) that just a shock wave from an explosion could cause profound brain injury. My brother-in-law is in Iraq now (went in January, supposedly for a year's duration). He was in Afghanistan for a year a couple years ago. So far, he's remained uninjured (as far as I know). Hopefully, he can continue to beat the odds. Posted by: Slash at July 7, 2009 12:56 PM \| Permalink to this comment		About Belgravia Dispatch Gregory Djerejian, an international lawyer and business executive, comments intermittently on global politics, finance & diplomacy at this site. The views expressed herein are solely his own and do not represent those of any organization. More About the Author Email the Author Recent Entries Lunch w/ the FT... 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