Hi Ellen,

I take exception to the thought that we "get off on war." While we do talk about the war experience, and our own military experiences, I think there is a very clear reason for it.

We all know that boys and girls, of my vintage, were raised differently. Boys were culturally trained with toy soldiers and guns, while girls tended toward dolls and makeup. I know that's a big generalization, but it makes my point. When I went into the Army at 18, the cadre new what they were getting, a raw recruit that was raised as a boy. The whole focus of that basic training was to make us into killers, soldiers. And they were very good at it. IN a couple of months, I was very capable of killing someone, and given the right circumstances, I would and I could.

What I saw in the Military made a profound impression on me. All told, between two periods of active duty as well as active reserve duty, I was very involved in the American Army for 8 years. In that time I encountered the whole gambit of military men and women. I saw everything from the most ridgid, hard assed bastards that were always ready to fight (kill), to the most gentle souls you'd could ever hope to find. The gentler side were usually doctors. As a side note, as I was in the medical corps, we were often a walking contradiction of two opposite forces: killing vs saving lives.

Because of those eight years of exposure to military life, at a time in my life when I was still forming my opinions on many things, it is NOT surprising that I often use those experiences as a frame of reference for me.

Do I "get off on war", absolutly NOT. Do I think war is an acceptable choice. Again, absolutly NOT. But, and here's the rub, like it or not, we ARE at war, thanks to President bush.

To go back to your original question: "Would the thoughts carried into action by one man be enough to change everything," I would answer, hopefully yes. You mention Mahatma Gandi. We all know how his actions changed the course of events. And there are many examples, of course. I cannot help but wonder where we would be today if we had had another person in the Presidency who chose NOT to start this war.

In closing, my military experiences had a huge impact on what I am today. Does that make me a war monger, or a violant man, no.

CHEERS, Bob