FURTHER THOUGHTS ON "RESTREPO"

Following my posting on “Restrepo,” my classmate, Ted Beal, a psychiatrist replied with the following profound insight:

‘As I assume you know this movie is based on the book, WAR by Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm. I think it should be required reading by the 99% of American citizens who are not involved in the war which touches only 1% of our citizens.

'I have been working as a psychiatrist at Walter Reed for about a year. I see each week about 20 returning soldiers from the war. The description of their experiences is just like those described in the book and I assume the movie. Buddies are vaporized by IEDs right next to them. They are left to pick up body parts and place them in bags. Nightmares are horrific. The intensity of prolonged conflict leaves many to be fearful of the "silence of American civilian life". The adaptation to "normal life" is difficult and many long to return to battle.

'Although soldiers do fight for each other as much as anything, they also speak of the addiction to battle. The book demonstrates and soldiers confirm that the adrénaline "high" of intense combat is better than a cocaine high and lasts longer. The author ably notes the biological and evolutionary roots of this addiction supported by society and amply reinforced by "older men", past their prime, making decisions to send in younger men in proxy battles.

'Although David ably outlines the apparent futility of the current strategy of this war, I think both these wars and the current and future effect it will have on our society is a far more complex problem. We need to ask ourselves what will thousands of young men addicted to fighting do when they return to a "normal " society. Some describe the irony of their inability to participate in a simple July 4th "Independence Day" celebration because the noise of fire crackers exploding "startles them into battle." The book and the movie are good places to begin thinking about these issues.'

My comment: There are costs to this war not included in the “Defense” Department’s budget.

David L. Smith
www.DavidLSmith.com
Reproduced with permission