Retired Army Col. Andrew J. Bacevich. * critic and BU professor, lost his son in Iraq today:

[babylonsister]

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/014135.php


Many of you are familiar with Andrew J. Bacevich, the international relations prof at BU. Bacevich is a retired Army Colonel, a military policy intellectual and, by most standards of place and time, a conservative. But he's also become a powerful critic of what in his most recent book he calls 'the new American militarism', a book I strongly recommend. And he's been a consistent and powerful opponent of the Iraq war from start to finish -- or whatever point we're at now.

This afternoon a friend who works in military budgeting world forwarded me an email from the DOD. It began ...

NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense

No. 582-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2007

Media Contact: [phone]/697-5132

Public/Industry(703) 428-0711

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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.

I don't think I knew whether Bacevich had a son. But he comes from that class of career military where professional military service is often an intergenerational endeavor. Age sounds about right. And I just had a hard time seeing how many Andrew J. Baceviches there would be in Massachusetts.

But no more wondering. It's his son. I can only imagine the special agony reserved for a professional military man to lose a child in a war he has now spent years arguing was a mistake.

snip//

And of course this drama gets played out ... what, two, three times a day? Often more. Each time no less shattering for the family involved.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. :^(

.

[bonito]

2. :^(

[Marrah_G]

3. That's my hometown

I'm a decade older. I hate this fucking war, so much death for NOTHING. It has not made one thing better for anyone except a select bunch of war profiteers. Sometimes I just want to find a field to stand in and scream until I am hoarse. I'm sick of being scared every time the phone rings. I am sick of crying everytime I turn on the news. All so some spoiled little asshole from CT can be a "war president". The world has gone mad.

Shit........

Edit:

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/homepage/x365555230

That's the local paper. The town paper only comes out once a week, so it isn't in there yet. My condolences to his family.

[Ilsa]

4. Condolences to Col. Bacevich and family. Which BU is BU? nt

[Marrah_G]

7. Boston University

[Oilwellian]

5. How very very sad

and a terrible loss.

[momster]

6. They used to live in this MD neighborhood

They moved out 9 or 10 years ago. I remember seeing that boy around. Cute in that "I'm gonna be tough when I grow up" way.

Every day those damn politicians up on the Hill and in the WH dither and jockey for position on the War, these young men and women die. It makes me so furious...I'm out of words.

[babylonsister]

8. Kick. nt

[Greyskye]

9. The family found out on Mothers Day

:cry: :cry: :cry: