An Apology
Posted on | November 13, 2006
Vietnam veteran James Larocca reminds us that war signifies failure rather than strength, and that “victory” lies only in ending it as quickly as possible:
Before shipping out to river patrol in the Mekong Delta in early 1967, I managed to get home to New York for a few days. As my parents were driving me back to the airport for my trip overseas, we talked about everything but the subject at hand. Then, as the flight was being called, they told me they wanted to say something, to make an apology. They had been good and loving parents, I thought, what on earth did they have to apologize for?
They said they were sorry that, despite the searing experience of World War II, their generation had turned out to be no better at avoiding war than those who had come before.
Less than 10 years after their war ended came Korea. Now, with broken hearts, they were shipping their son off to a new war in Vietnam - one that, unlike World War II, seemed avoidable and unnecessary.
I came back at the end of 1968, dispirited and disoriented. I had survived two tours but understood that no matter how well we performed in the field, the war could not be won….
On Veterans Day we usually remember the past, honoring the service and sacrifice of those who served. But in the midst of this war, a better way of honoring our veterans, old and new, is to act in the present and apply the lessons we learned so painfully a generation ago. Let’s start with an apology to the Iraq war generation. We failed you, and we are sorry. Our job now is to get you home.
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