1st Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich, 27, of Walpole, Mass., died May 13 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat patrol operations in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Professor Bacevich lost his son, a sacrifice I wish no parent had to face, and has the added burden of believing his son died for a wrong cause. I've long disagreed with his analysis of the war. Out of respect for his loss, I don't think I will ever link to a piece of his to criticize. I've refrained from commenting on Cindy Sheehan since her grief is great and I don't know how that could affect a person. I don't suspect that Bacevich will use his son's death as a prop, so I should give a far better person far more consideration.
Not that this grief is superior to the unnamed fathers and families who have lost sons and daughters, but I have uniquely criticized this father's writings on the war.
I hope that victory in this war will one day give the father--and all the other parents of fallen military personnel--at least some solace when the sharp edges of the pain wear down. I thank Lieutenant Bacevich for what he has given up to protect our nation. I thank the father for raising a young man who believed he should serve his country in uniform. And I am terribly sorry that another family grieves a war death.
