The Death of One Son

The Sydney Writers' Festival starts at the end of May, and some of you may have been aware that American academic and Iraqi war critic, Andrew Bacevich, was to be one of the visiting authors. Bacevich is director of Boston University's Centre for International Relations, after serving in the US military, including a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Bacevich's son, Andrew J, was killed in Salah Ad Din Province on May 13th. As of yesterday, US forces had 3400 dead, & 24 314 wounded. Andrew J Bacevich's death is no worse than Rhy Klasno, Christopher Murphy, John Self, Nicholas Hartge, or Zachary Gullett who were also killed between the 12 and 15th of May. Or the hundreds of unnamed Iraqis whose names do not grace Pentagon lists or the pages of our newspapers.
His death is no worse, no sadder, no more pointless than any of the other thousands upon thousands who have died since this fiasco began. But no amount of media spin, lies and distortions can diminish the shock that one death can bring. I have no idea as to what his family are experiencing at present. I can only think what bitter irony it is that they cannot cling to the false consolations offered by the myth-makers, the media men, the spin doctors. To lose a child is the most terrifying prospect I can imagine. To lose one for a pointless, hateful cause should make us all weep.