“Not just the ones who fought in Iraq; going way back.”“That’s the dirty little secret about war,” he’d said, extending his hand. Then he would thank each of them for their “service” while the intern pinned a flag to their shirt and the audience clapped. AdvertisementAs someone who works with dying veterans, I’ve learned to never automatically thank them for their service. That’s part of what I think James meant when he said all wars are acts of betrayal. Calling the sum of actions taken in war “service” is a convenient way for the rest of us to deny what our warriors have been asked to do.

Source: Huffington Post January 22, 2022 15:03 UTC