War Critic's Son Dies In Iraq

27-Year-Old Son Of Boston University Professor Dies In Iraq Suicide Bombing

(AP)  Andrew Bacevich repeatedly railed against the Iraq war in op-ed columns and interviews, calling it a "catastrophic failure." But the Boston University professor rarely, if ever, said that his son was serving in the conflict.

Friends say he did so to protect Andy Bacevich Jr. and to avoid any question that he was proud of his son's service.

Bacevich, himself a veteran of Vietnam and the Gulf wars, learned this week that his 27-year-old son had been killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.

Bacevich's critiques of the war have been measured, with the professor emphasizing that the war's architects are not evil but disastrously mistaken. Now that he has suffered a personal loss, that approach could change, a colleague said.

"If this happened to me, I could not predict, you know, the effect it would have on me. It would be so devastating," said professor William Keylor, who teaches with Bacevich in BU's international relations department. "So I honestly think that's an open question that he's going to be wrestling with."

The younger Bacevich, who died in Balad, Iraq, was a charismatic man so determined to follow his father into the military that he enlisted even after being forced to leave the university's ROTC unit for medical reasons.

After joining the Army in 2005, he headed for the conflict that the elder Bacevich had warned in 2003 could test the nation in ways that would "make the Vietnam War look like a mere blip in American history."

But Bacevich, a West Point graduate and retired lieutenant colonel, would never have tried to discourage his son from joining the Army, said Erik Goldstein, chairman of the international relations department.

"He had the highest regard for people who wore the uniform," Goldstein said. "The appreciation for what the military does is differentiated from his opposition to the conduct of this particular war."

The younger Bacevich, born in West Point, N.Y., majored in public relations with a concentration in international relations.

The university's ROTC office manager, Beri Gilfix, remembered a man with a strong resemblance to his father and a determination to carry on the family's military tradition.

"I think he really admired his father a great deal and wanted to be just like him," Gilfix said.

But Bacevich was not allowed to continue in ROTC because of childhood asthma, a restriction he made look absurd when he began running marathons in college.

After graduating from BU in 2003, Bacevich worked in politics, first as an intern for the late Republican Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, and later as a legislative aide to then-Gov. Mitt Romney. When the asthma restriction was relaxed, Bacevich attended officer training in 2005.

The elder Bacevich, a conservative, viewed the war as a delusional overreach by political and military leaders who overestimated the power of the American military to transform the Middle East.

"There are no easy answers, but one at least ought to acknowledge that in launching a war advertised as a high-minded expression of U.S. idealism, we have waded into a swamp of moral ambiguity," he wrote in the Washington Post in July 2006.

Bacevich advocated withdrawal from Iraq, writing in The Boston Globe in March that the war had made the world more dangerous for the United States.

"Our folly has alienated friends and emboldened enemies" he wrote.

Bacevich asked interviewers not to mention his son's service in Iraq, telling the Globe recently that he wanted to limit attention on his son and separate his opinion from his deep personal connection to the war.

The younger Bacevich communicated with his father from Iraq by e-mail. Keylor said he would occasionally check in with Bacevich to see how his son was doing, and the report was always that things seemed OK, until Keylor received a call from Bacevich on Sunday.

Bacevich was not available for an interview, and the family has referred all requests for information to a National Guard spokesman. In his only public comment since his son's death, Bacevich told the Boston Herald: "He joined the Army to serve his country in a time of need. We love him and mourn his loss."

[neeruam-2009]

Yeah I looked it up.

This all is fun, but the real reason I'm here is to say RIP Andrew Bacevich, I am very sorry for his parents' loss.

[bm6005]

The bung hole is the access hole to a barrel. Also used as old slipsteer does.

[neeruam-2009]

"Well, you know some of those lifers like bung-holes!!"
The Gripper

Gripper, riiigghht! In fact, from here on out, I vote that we address SlipSter01 as "Mr. Bung Hole" since every single one of his posts includes references to bung holes or toilets. Per Freud's theory, he likely had poor toilet training since he is so obssessed with the subject. Howza boutz it, Mr. Bung Hole?

p.s. Don't know where my education failed me, but I never before heard of a bung hole -- wish I hadn't, it's just too gauche. Look that up, Mr. BH, if you know how to use a dictionary.

[bm6005]

Well, you know some of those lifers like bung-holes!!

The Gripper

[neeruam-2009]

"See? Liberals will ALWAYS use deragotory terms to descibe things. I have always had respect for EVERY branch of the military, and called them by their names, never the crass and debasing terms you use, you little toilet-stall pilot without a joystick."
Posted by SlipSter01 at 09:14 PM : May 17

So you say liberals always use derogatory terms, then YOU go on and spew your cr*p 2 heartbeats later. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black -- you take the prize so far on this board for stupidity, did you even read what you wrote? And I might as well bring up your apparent fondness for "bung holes," one of the favored words in your limited vocabulary.

What a dummy, but what can you expect from a 28%-er?

[bm6005]

I don't need to post irrelevant letters and numbers for anyone to try to prove what I know is fact.

Posted by SlipSter01

If you think you know the facts you must have been in military intelligence, an oxymoron if ever. I'll bet with your smart *** attitude about the soldier and his father that this story is written about that you were an officer. I always hated you jacka$$e$!!

[bm6005]

I know, I bet you flew a BWD at the Pentogoon!! At least my relatives walked upright without dragging their over-testosterone'd knuckles!!

[slipster01]

"US 526561XX ***. Fact is I was probably in while you were a gleam in your old man's eye!!
Posted by bm6005 at 09:17 PM : May 17, 2007"

All it proves is that you can do a search in Yahoo is all that proves, little kool-aid drinking bungwipe. I don't need to post irrelevant letters and numbers for anyone to try to prove what I know is fact.

Only gleam your old man ever had in his eye was for your mom's younger brother, since you want to start bringing relatives into your discussions.

[bm6005]

So you're telling me that the services never fought between themselves or insulted each others branch. You're the one who didn't serve yahoo! BTW most people consider me to be a redneck. I just don't like chickenshit/chickenhawk pols inventing a reason for war!!

[bm6005]

proves they are lying about serving in the military.
Posted by SlipSter01

US 526561XX ***. Fact is I was probably in while you were a gleam in your old man's eye!!

[slipster01]

"Not a theory. Read "Hubris", that is if you can read anything beyond Sgt. Rock! And you wont find it on Sham Hammity either.
Posted by bm6005 at 08:54 PM : May 17, 2007"

"And it shows in your intelligence level too!! So, what were you in the Chair Force or perhaps sitting 100 miles offshore pulling your PUD!
Posted by bm6005 at 08:57 PM : May 17, 2007"

See? Liberals will ALWAYS use deragotory terms to descibe things. I have always had respect for EVERY branch of the military, and called them by their names, never the crass and debasing terms you use, you little toilet-stall pilot without a joystick.

And Sgt Rock is as close to actual military service as you ever got.

It always amazes me when someone mentions their military service that a libtard will come along and say they served as well, and then, thru their own words, prove they don't know what they are talking about, and proves they are lying about serving in the military.

[slipster01]

bm6005,

You are a hypocrite. In my opinion, ANYONE who wants to be in the Congress or White House should be required to have served in the military, since they are the ones who determine military action. Not just war supporters. If you want to be a politician in Washington, DO YOUR SERVICE FOR YOUR COUNTRY FIRST, before you are put in charge of millions of servicemembers.

Leading by example doesn't mean you have to do the job. Ever heard of delegating? I can tell from your view point you never served, because they don't train supervisors in the military to hang over the heads of their workers. Either that, or you were so incompetent that you had to stand watch over your workers to make sure they got YOUR job done. I never had to, because I and my subordinates LEARNED their training well. So, you can just take your **** and shove it up your bung hole where it belongs.

[bm6005]

I did over 20 years in the military, you little internet keyboard warrior.
Posted by SlipSter01

And it shows in your intelligence level too!! So, what were you in the Chair Force or perhaps sitting 100 miles offshore pulling your PUD!

[bm6005]

Stop substituting my words with your theories.
Posted by Hiclay2000

Not a theory. Read "Hubris", that is if you can read anything beyond Sgt. Rock! And you wont find it on Sham Hammity either.

[bm6005]

bm6005,

Oh come on you hypocrite. Let's not fail to mention your poster boy Bill Clinton.
Posted by SlipSter01

If you had any idea you'd ****. I have never given Clinton or any other draft dodging coward a free pass. I served, I read that you served. Just keep in mind that I am not a hypocrite. Any member of our gov't who advocates war , should have experienced it first!!! When I was a manager I never asked my employees to do any job, work overtime, etc. unless I was there with them. You lead by example. Tell me about Frat boy Georgie and his partner Wildick Cheney and their exemplary service to our nations military. P.S. National Guard DOES NOT COUNT!!

[slipster01]

"Gotta love yellow elephants who love the war. From this side of the ocean.
Another proud member of the 101st Fighting Keyboardists speaks out.
Posted by wfbdem at 07:43 PM : May 17, 2007"

Gotta hate yellow-bellied bung-wipes who are too chicken to fight a real war. I did over 20 years in the military, you little internet keyboard warrior.

Far as I see it, you got no place in this conversation, because you have no experience in these matters.

Go rant on the Paris Hilton blogs, that's where your expertise is needed.

[wfbdem]

I stand by my words. The man will make a killing on interviews, book deals, etc. Just like Cindy Sheehan has on the death of her son, who was ALSO a volunteer, and did not represent his mother's viewss. This man will become a media darling for the anti-war movement now ONLY because his son died.
Posted by SlipSter01 at 07:28 PM : May 17, 2007

Gotta love yellow elephants who love the war. From this side of the ocean.
Another proud member of the 101st Fighting Keyboardists speaks out.

[slipster01]

chadi7 posted
"That is a horrible thing to say about a man you know nothing about. His son is dead because of a war that he felt was mismanaged and foolishly run. I know that has to hurt."

And his position didn't hurt the hundreds of thousands of military members we have serving over there? Where was his son in supporting his father's views? Oh, I forgot, his son did NOT support his views. His son volunteered to serve in the military.

I stand by my words. The man will make a killing on interviews, book deals, etc. Just like Cindy Sheehan has on the death of her son, who was ALSO a volunteer, and did not represent his mother's viewss. This man will become a media darling for the anti-war movement now ONLY because his son died.

[chadi7]

I hope that 'anti-war' critic demonizes his own son now. Bet he's laughing all the way to the bank with the publicity he's getting from his son's death. He's hoping to make millions off interviews, book deals, and probably a made-for-television movie out of it.

He doesn't give a *** about his dead son. He's gonna be the male version of Cindy Sheehan, you watch.
Posted by SlipSter01 at 05:12 PM : May 17, 2007

That is a horrible thing to say about a man you know nothing about. His son is dead because of a war that he felt was mismanaged and foolishly run. I know that has to hurt.

[sharncedar]

" was simply making the statement that many, like Chamberlain was, are blind to what some of us believe is a real, pervasive threat. "

This argument about appeasement and analogy with WWII is a fairly oft repeated fallacy. Because, of course, if Chamberlain had pre-emptively attacked Hitler in 1940 or something, then there is a good chance the Nazis would have appeared sympathetically, the US would have refrained from escalating with Japan, and the Nazis may have won the war and all Jews would be dead.

You cannot punish a "bad man" until he does a bad thing. it might seem frustrating to those who imagine they know who the "bad men" are in the world, but its a necessary evil.

Think about it if you still ahve any brain.