I’m afraid the latest thing that the press should shut up about is the massive civilian casualties in Iraq (or are they three year old Baathists?) When my daughter asked me recently about Lt. Calley I took a long time to think about it because I felt a personal connection - Calley and I had both been platoon leaders in that AO. I finally had to tell her that nothing in that case could excuse what happened. When she asked me what happened to Calley I had to tell her "Nothing". To the obvious question "Why?" I could only tell her that too many people in too high place shared part of the guilt and they didn’t want it talked about. If Calley were punished people would say "What about the higher ups? Today we have to ask "What’s happening to civilains in Iraq? Are they being permanently "Liberated" from this world? If we don’t do we share in the guilt. Not something I want to do.
I’m afraid the latest thing that the press should shut up about is the massive civilian casualties in Iraq (or are they three year old Baathists?) When my daughter asked me recently about Lt. Calley I took a long time to think about it because I felt a personal connection - Calley and I had both been platoon leaders in that AO. I finally had to tell her that nothing in that case could excuse what happened. When she asked me what happened to Calley I had to tell her "Nothing". To the obvious question "Why?" I could only tell her that too many people in too high place shared part of the guilt and they didn’t want it talked about. If Calley were punished people would say "What about the higher ups? Today we have to ask "What’s happening to civilains in Iraq? Are they being permanently "Liberated" from this world? If we don’t do we share in the guilt. Not something I want to do.