The following is an excerpt from the CBS article. His writings as a novelist probably should not be equated with his personal views. What he wrote about on this issue and others actually happens in life and in this case it is a custom, albeit weird, of another culture. To condemn a writer from writing about an apparently factual custom or act is similar to condemning a reporter for reporting such acts or customs. To report or write about what others do does not mean the writer or reporter approves or practices what is written or reported. I would guess that writers and reporters of the Iraq war deaths and atrocities are not warmongers themselves nor would they likely commit war crimes themselves.

I would likely not care to read Senator Webb's novels, mostly because I prefer a different style of writing and rarely read novels.

{Quote}

"It's not a sexual act," Webb told Plotkin regarding the "Lost Soldiers" excerpt. "I actually saw this happen in a slum in Bangkok when I was there as a journalist."

"The duty of a writer is to illuminate the surroundings," he added.

Coincidentally, a Cambodian woman in Las Vegas is facing sexual assault charges for performing a similar act on her young son, according to an Oct. 14 report in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The article quotes an office manager for the Cambodian Association of America, who described the act as a sign of respect or love.

"It's an exception," Thira Srey told the Review-Journal of the practice. According to the report, the act is usually performed by a mother or caretaker on a child who is one year old or younger. In Webb's novel, the child is four years old." {End Quote}

I did see his speech and before that, I knew nothing about the man. His public and military service and education impressed me. He has the credentials to be a leader, but it may be too early to determine conclusively if he has the character. To me, the last two presidents lacked the character qualities I prefer in a leader and Senator Webb would appear to be far above those people in that category.