"If you want to change anything -- even our increasing propensity for militarism -- you first have to make an effort to engage with it. And to engage with it, you have to know the wellsprings of its appeal, which transcend corporate profits or imperial power." Full Story »
Posted by Bruce Sims
Although I am no fan of American military adventurism, and know that many politicians can't resist using our military improperly, this article is a welcome voice in our way to a "deeper understanding of our post-9/11 world," to quote the tomdispatch.com mission. As the father of a son who wants to go into the Marines, Astore has helped my understanding of why that might be. It's perhaps that same pursuit of authenticity that caused me to backpack Europe for five months after working a year in a mill during my college years. Progressives do need to embrace the democratic opportunity the military provides now, to outflank the charge of being weak on national defense, but more important, to have a credible role in preserving our military's best qualities.
