Hero Fallen

“I’ll just ask the fundamental question,” Ritter said, looking at me squarely across the table. “My personal missteps — how many Americans have died as a result of that? None. Other than my family, how many victims were there? None. And yet, in refusing to engage in a responsible debate about Iraq, how many Americans died? Thousands. And America seems to have no problem with that.” 

Those are the words of Scot Ritter, former Marine, UN weapons inspector, and one of the most important, and informed, voices against the war in Iraq, before it ever began. Unfortunately, he's also someone with his own personal demons- demons that he has somehow either failed to take seriously, or just chosen to ignore... not unlike the vast majority of the American public's attitude towards not invading Iraq.

I'm not belittling Mr. Ritter's problem by any means- the guy needs some serious help. He needs to be as uncompromising with himself, as he is with others. Both the United States and Mr. Ritter are now paying the price, although they continue to live in a fog of deniability, admitting only limited wrong doing at best. But one is hard pressed to escape the logic, and the very sad reality, of the latter part of the statement above. 

Illustration by Shawn Kuruneru. Illustration based on a photograph by Mike Groll/Associated Press.