In these interminable conflicts driven by incoherent (at best) strategy men such as these can only derive what comfort there is in what Lee at Appomattox stated to his army;
“You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.”
I really dislike the author’s thesis, but I’m having a hard time arguing against it. I had friends die in Iraq. I myself was nearly killed a couple of times. What did they die for, exactly? We killed a bunch of them over there instead of having to do it here, I guess, but there’s plenty more where that came from and the nation we were supposed to be helping is steadily descending into chaos. Afghanistan is easily as bad. What was the point?
We did our job as best we could, but, in the end, is that enough?