The Chickenhawk Syndrome: War, Sacrifice, and Personal Responsibility
Cheyney Ryan has written an eloquent and passionate argument about the basic responsibilities of citizens when their country goes to war: if you aren't prepared to fight it yourself, or commend fighting to your loved ones, you should not support the war. In an era where devastating attacks can be launched and executed by remote control, and no draft exists to spread the burdens of service, it is all too easy to back killing with no risk and no sacrifice. Ryan's book is a crucial philosophical examination of democratic citizenship and just war theory. (David J. Luban, Georgetown University Law Center)Ryan shows persuasively why someone who vigorously and publicly endorses a war and its sacrifices while diligently and successfully avoiding such sacrifices for himself and his family lacks the essential constituents of moral integrity: steadfastness, mindfulness, and forthrightness. While surveying the deep moral casualness of the decision to go to war in Iraq, Ryan names and shames enough contemporary American hypocrites and freeloaders to infuriate many culprits in both political parties. An extraordinary combination of political analysis and philosophical analysis, this study is grounded in American history and conveyed in contemporary anecdotes about shamelessness that often leave the reader unsure whether to laugh at our recent follies, weep for our future, or both. I hope this devastating book makes people angry enough to adopt the "Murtha test" it recommends. (Henry Shue, University of Oxford)This is a well-written book on an important topic. Recommended. (CHOICE, February 2010)Many who supported our recent wars avoided the personal costs of these conflicts. Cheyney Ryan argues that now is the time for a reckoning on the question of war and personal sacrifice. This book is a direct provocation and a call for reflection. It demands that we revisit the basic questions of why we fight and how we fight—and the connection between the two. The results of our reflection and reckoning will have great consequences for our country and for the world. (Joel H. Rosenthal, president, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs)