This September will mark the 40th year since my last combat in Vietnam. Within two years of my return, at age 23, my ears began ringing, and , with only brief interludes of natural sound to enjoy, have been ringing ever since. I am one of the lucky ones.
Very simply, war is incredibly loud, concussive and disruptive of the human mind. It is nothing but a human slaughterhouse without the refrigeration. The harm we have done to our servicemen and women and the Iraqi people will be with us, both morally and financially for at least as long as my ears have been ringing.