I was recently interviewed by my local town newspaper, regarding my memoir book on the Warrior Spirit, the inner-warrior. It was a frank discussion on going to war, returning, and picking up the life left behind.

The interview article was published 3/3/2012: http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubsectionID=1&ArticleID=103971.

Let me here acknowledge the, intelligent, heart-felt comments made by readers of the article. Kudos to Nicholas DeMarino for his superb capturing of this story. In truth, it is not my story by any means. It is America’s, and Mr. DeMarino in superlative fashion told it in an accurate, non-intrusive way—letting it unfold with its own voice, character and verse.

War does have a cost. One that is sometimes necessary to bear, but that should never be taken lightly.

Albert Einstein is often quoted in saying, “You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. The very prevention of war requires more faith, courage and resolution than are needed to prepare for war. We must all do our share, that we may be equal to the task of peace.” (Message sent to Congressman Robert Hale, Dec. 4, 1946.)

But he also said, “To have security against atomic bombs and against the other biological weapons, we have to prevent war, for if we cannot prevent war, every nation will use every means that is at their disposal; and in spite of all promises they make, they will do it.  . . . so long as war is not prevented, all the governments of the nations have to prepare for war, and if you have to prepare for war, then you are in a state where you cannot abolish war. This is really the cornerstone of our situation. Now, I believe what we should try to bring about is the general conviction that the first thing you have to abolish is war at all costs, and every other point of view must be of secondary importance.” (Address to the symposium “The Social Task of the Scientist in the Atomic era at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, Nov. 1946.)

And, therein, lies the rub. Abolishing war at all costs is not the same as avoiding war at all costs. What if the cost of absolute avoidance is a sense of impunity felt by a predatory mentality (individual/group/nation) as an invitation to go to war? There is a difference from the cliched “giving something energy”—that is, reacting in like mind with unenlightened or evil states of consciousness—and being passive and victimized.

In the shadow of what many consider irreconcilable opposites, we send our own to war for the preservation of peace. Hawk or dove, conservative or liberal, we owe them something precious when they return: ACCEPTANCE.

Carl Hitchens