1st Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich, R.I.P.
More terrible news out of Iraq:
The Defense Department today (Monday) announced 27-year-old 1st Lieutenant Andrew J. Bacevich of Walpole was killed yesterday (Sunday) when an improvised bomb exploded while he was on a patrol in the Salah Ad Din Province.
His father -- Andrew J. Bacevich -- is a Boston University professor and a vocal critic of the war.
Professor Bacevich has been a contributor to Chronicles for years, and he wrote some of the best analyses of the foolishness of this war that we've published.
Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family today. May the Lord grant eternal rest to his son.
(Found via A Conservative Blog for Peace, by way of The Western Confucian.)
UPDATE: The New York Times has an extensive article today:
His father, with whom he frequently exchanged e-mail, kept his views separate from his feelings about his son. Professor Bacevich insisted that journalists quoting him about the war not mention that his son was serving in it. And when colleagues asked how his son was doing, “he always indicated fine, no problem,” Professor Keylor said.
Professor Corgan said: “He didn’t go around wailing or gnashing teeth — it’s just not his way. Stoic, I think is the word. He was proud that his son chose to serve his country and so forth. What I saw was a parent sort of holding his breath.”
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Thank you Scott for this tribute. We all pray for sinners, now and at the hour of death. This is no time to settle old scores but in all honesty, I can't read such obituaries without thinking about that little man , Mr. Frum, categorizing any and all war critics as either America haters, anti-semites or handwringers. The heavy lifting in matters of life and death are always done by men like Lt. Bacevich. Lightweights like Mr. Frum are simply a background noise and earthly contrast by which we can judge real heroic Americans like the Lieutenant and his family. May God reward him with His presence and final resting place forever. rr
May the good Lord grant the entire family peace and consolation that such a death is usually watched over and the young man had passed onto the better world than ours. His will be, the Kingdom of Heaven, where deeds are valued more than words. May the soil he's covered with be light on his remains. Thanks for bringing this "unimportant single death" to light, and to life. In a strange way this young man's death gives more impetus to life in its form that is by definition more just and closer to God's watchful eye.
Vecnaja pamjat, Everlasting memory for Lt. Andrew Bachevich in the repose of the Lord.
Why must the good die so senslessly sometimes? The foolish would blame God but in the end it is ourselves that can make the world so senseless and only us who can bring sense to it.
Another sad ending to a valuable life. I feel that we as Americans dont really have anyone to vote for as a valuable leader, Who will bring back core values, And as Human beings on both side of the spectrum continue to die, Most of us here go through life as nothing has happened.
Have we become so complacent with our modern day technology and our visa card that we have forgot about all the death and sadness in the world?
Are we a country for the people and by the people? To make the choice for our government? Now i am a converted Muslim about 17 yrs ago, And do i think we should cut and run,NO WAY. To be honest we are in a mess. If we cut and run trust me it will be used against us in the long run. And it will be worse for us in the future.
It will be a major victory for the extremist elements of islaam. They already feel that as the west is too in love with the world and fear death. this will only prove it too them, That they can do anything to us and we will not stay the course if it gets too hot for us.
But as the war goes on, we are not only bringing the dead home, i Only fear the same thing is happening with what happened to my father, He was in Vietnam, Did 2 tours and he would never talk about it, so i use to talk to my grandfather who was raised in Rockford Illinois who died 2 years ago and also a Veteran of Korea who was injured by a shell, and was never given a Purple Heart even though we tried.
But as to continue my father came back from naam in 72, He was a Marine. And my father came back and became a heroin addict, He was also diagnosed with PTSD, but never took nothing from the Government for that. Such as Pay, he was a roofer by trade, and good at it. But i was Raised by my great grandparents and never knew the extent of my fathers mental illness. He was on numerous anxiety medicines etc. and had bad nightmares.
Until 1998 they found my father dead, On a street in Rockford called Auburn street laying in a dump Heep with a needle in his arm. another Casualty of a War, Even though it was 25 yrs earlier the phsychological thoughts were still their. he was a good kid. Grandfather would say, played basketball for East high school. Honor role student, but wanted to be marine like so many of his for- fathers to keep the name going in the service of Their country,
So i hear that so many of our soldiers are coming back,
With Anxiety and Panic issues and disorders that we must Remember they are casualties too, And so our there families. too Me it does not matter if we are in a just war or not. the problem is we are their now, What do we do? We as Americans should do what we can. For our troops send gifts send letters and thanks. But all people are suffering from this. the Iraqis the Americans and all of our families, So i ask the One God to forgive all of us for our sins. and forgive those who have died. and keep their families safe and guide them all, Ameen. Abu Yaqub Jameel ibn Fritz Daughenbaugh
I had the honor of being a classmate of this person's father at St. Bede Academy in Peru, IL, both being boarding students and members of the Class of 1965. I learned of this tragedy going thru a recent Alumni Newsletter.
My heart and prayers go out to his family. A loss surely to them and most certainly to the country to lose such a fine individual whose future contributions to society will be not fulfilled as a result of the tragedy.