HUFFINGTON
07.01-08.12
LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR
“The War Within” comes at a
crucial time: with major combat
operations in Iraq ended and scaling back in Afghanistan — not to
mention the approaching spectacle of a presidential election —
the ongoing struggles of America’s
soldiers are something less than a
national priority. Today’s wounded veterans re-enter a civilian
society that is, as David puts it,
“largely disconnected itself from
military service and now, according to polls, tired of war.”
That is why we are lucky to
have David on the story. In this
issue, he once again puts the
spotlight on veterans, including
Natasha Young, who found purpose and stability in the Marines
after a troubled childhood, and
served two tours in Iraq. There,
she witnessed horrors that led
to thoughts of suicide: roadside bomb blasts that killed and
maimed her fellow Marines, and
later, a job that required her to
gather the belongings of fallen
soldiers. And she is hardly alone.
About 14 percent of post-9/11 veterans suffer from PTSD, serving
out what one combat medic calls a
“lifetime sentence.”
More than anything else, the
power of David’s writing lies in his
ability to empathize as he delves
into an important, if little-discussed, part of our country’s histo-
14%
of post-9/11 veterans
suffer from PTSD, serving
out what one combat medic
calls a “lifetime sentence.”
ry. (His background as a Quaker and
a conscientious objector is a quiet
undercurrent in his work.) The
British historian Simon Schama,
also glancing back to the ancients,
has noted that “the Greek word
historia meant, and was used from
the very beginning by Herodotus as,
‘inquiry.’” “The War Within” is the
latest installment of David’s own
inquiry into the costs of America’s
wars, told in the voices of those
who will continue to fight them for
decades to come. I am so grateful
that Huffington is showcasing his
work, especially as we celebrate,
and reflect on,
the Fourth of July.
ARIANNA