War’s Risk to the Soul
Thank you for the very poignant article by Col. Jeffrey Barnett, “War’s Worst Risk Is to the Soul” (Commentary, June 6).
Many years ago I was fortunate to attend the graduation of a class of paratroopers in the Israeli army. The ceremony was performed in Jerusalem, the city holy to three of the world’s major religions; an area not far from where the Ten Commandments were created. It was there that I heard the late Golda Meir, while prime minister of Israel, admonish the graduates to never use their weapons for anything other than defense. For, she said, “I can forgive our Arab neighbors for killing our sons; but I will never forgive them for making our sons killers.”
If only diplomacy could solve differences between nations and people--what a wonderful world we would have.
ALEXANDER L. BRITTON
Los Alamitos
* I hope the essay by Barnett achieves broad readership, everywhere. It is a remarkably honest piece, causing many of us to grieve anew for our brothers and sisters who risked spiritual distress for us.
RICHARD D. STAFFORD
Hemet
* Barnett’s commentary brought back the difficult experiences we had in treating so many veterans during and after World War II. Barnett wrote: “Warriors kill. Killing is the essence of war.” Growing up and incorporating into our character the commandment “Thou shalt not kill,” the new recruit is suddenly confronted with the exact opposite, i.e., “You must kill.” In order to fit in, most incorporated that opposing moral view into their behaviors, but in our V.A. clinics we repeatedly saw a tragic aftermath as the victorious, man-killing soldier was now back in civilian life. That aftermath often was experienced in sleep disturbances, nightmares, generalized anxiety attacks, periods of depression and withdrawal. In the therapy with them, we soon became aware of their inner struggle within their psyche--”how do I now live with and accept the fact that I have killed--and at times gloried in having done so?”
Barnett wrote, “We seldom praise veterans for risking their souls. . . . When the nation fails to comfort those who killed in its name, it leaves those warriors to face their souls alone.” The drugs prescribed can only suppress the disturbing inner memories and images. Intensive therapy over long periods of time provides an opportunity for the fullest confrontation and ultimate freeing of the self from the guilt over having been a killer of other humans.
ROCCO L. MOTTO MD
Dean, Graduate Center for
Child Development and Psychotherapy
Los Angeles