Bob Kerrey ended his political career in 2000 and now runs a University in New York. No, it s not either of those. Most likely, as suggested by neo-liberal Mickey Kaus, it is simply an attempt by the New York Times to remind us all that we were wrong in Vietnam. Because the Times article itself, along with Kerrey s defenders and critics, cannot derive any current relevance to this story does not mean that there is no lesson to be learned. Unfortunately for the Times, it is not a lesson they are interested in learning.
Bad things happen in war.
It s such a simple maxim, but a true one nonetheless, soaring above the heads of those debating what happened in this specific instance. We are hesitant to say that under any circumstances the slaughtering of civilians is right. Surely, we like to believe, good soldiers in good wars don t commit such acts. So if such acts were committed, obviously the perpetrators are evil or they were fighting on the wrong side or a war that shouldn t have been fought. The Times wishes to leave it at that.