My cousin emailed me an article this morning written by James Carville:

How war became the new normal —

http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/james-carville/322879-how-war-became-the-new-normal

Carville’s writing about the book, Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country, by Andrew J. Bacevich, got me thinking.

Yeah, there is a literal disconnect between those in military service and the majority  of the population. However, I'm not convinced that reprising the draft will overcome the extreme detachment that America at large has toward those charged with fighting the country's wars. On one hand, Americans have a kind of split-personality when it comes to war. From our video games and movies to our love of contact sports, we are addicted to themes of revenge and retribution. We have a militaristic sense of patriotism, but not the spartan appetite to suffer the dogs of war for long. Yet, we hold up the warrior symbol as the highest expression of patriotism.

A draft will of, course, bring about more equal participation in the population, as the loss and suffering of war will be shared by more

families than present. Now, that's assuming, of course, that the draft will be done across the board without a criteria of unfair deferment distinctions. (Attending college vs. high school diploma and working, for instance.) Even at that, the present disparity in educational and learning opportunities will affect the station of those who literally fight our wars—meaning the separation of the "strategist" combatant from the "engaged" combatant. And these relevant concerns do not address the principle of freedom of choice regarding military service. Neither do they address the fundamental issue of who we are and why we go to war as the "new normal" Carville speaks about.

We are so self-identified with war as synonymous with freedom that we have become ironically enslaved by it. We've gone beyond the pre-revolution days of "preparedness for the worse" to an appetite for it. Yet, it is an appetite without a true hunger. So we are caught in an emotional and moral bind: We want peace, but we view peacefulness with suspicion in the displaying of strength or weakness. We are unable to discern

peacefulness from passivity.

We as a nation on the whole, as a people are split along moral and ideological lines over war and peace. Without finding a middle ground for our pro-activism, we war within ourselves and then against each other for supremacy of truth. From the far, extreme poles of our moral and ideological convictions, we confront each other. But at such receptive distance, we hear and only acknowledge ourselves. Fearing the "contamination" of our opposing viewpoints, we conduct our philosophical/ideological warfare from the safe distance of non-engagement of different ideas—in the same way, we send our military troops like drones to do our bidding… until they (literally), until we (figuratively)) bleed enough to take pause and truly ask why:

1“Well world disasters, they come and go. / I'd give all my strength to be back home /'Cause there are people, asking why / There are people asking...” — Seal

Carl

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1 People Asking Why

1. Artist: Seal
   

2. Album: Seal
   

3. Date: 1994