McCain and War

John McCain said in his acceptance speech that he hates war. But does he, in the same sense that I do when I say it?

When I say that I hate war, I mean that war itself, far more than any human being or nation, is my real enemy. I mean that I hate what war does to men, women, "the beasts and the children", by the millions (as the death toll climbed during the 20th century). I mean that war is diabolical, that if Satan is real, he loves war as his favorite means of mayhem, murder and destruction. I mean that we should do everything we can to avoid war in the modern world.

According to the recent Atlantic cover story, 'Why War Is His Answer: Inside the Mind of John McCain,' he doesn't hate war in the same way I do. In fact, he believes in war as a useful, and even preferred, instrument of national policy. He certainly didn't hate the Iraq War when it began, and he doesn't hate it now. He thinks it was right then and right now. For McCain, "the safety of America demands that [wars] be fought, and honor demands that they be won."

McCain's mindset is, as Henry Kissinger said, as "a military man, not a diplomat." His grandfather and father were Admirals, he has two sons in the military, and of course, his own identity was forged in the fires of battle and brutal captivity. Now some men, after such an experience, turn against war and see its futility and waste. One could cite examples even in today's Democratic Party: Max Cleland, John Kerry, Jim Webb, and Jack Reed, just to name four. (Interestingly, all four of these veterans have endorsed Obama, who has no military experience.) But McCain does not apparently see things that way, contrary to his 'hating war' assertion. Remember the 'bomb, bomb, bomb....bom, bom Iran' McCain solo some time back?

McCain's favorite president, as he often says, was Theodore Roosevelt. Why Teddy? If there ever was a president who loved war and the martial life, it was TR. Roosevelt was instrumental in preparing the Navy for the Spanish-American War and was an enthusiastic proponent of testing the U.S. military in battle, at one point stating "I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one". He led the famous 'Rough Riders' into battle in Cuba, as a fearless Colonel. He favored the annexation of the Phillipines, making us a colonial power for the first tie. And he was one tough cookie, as is John McCain.

I can appreciate the Roosevelts and McCains of this world. We will always need some good warriors to keep us safe, just as we need good policeman in our towns and cities, ready to take on the criminals. But in this very explosive world, where the last century was the bloodiest century ever from world and regional wars, and where the great powers now all possess enough nuclear weapons to blow us all up, the last thing we need is a president who believes that war is the answer to many of our problems. In fact, we desperately need the opposite.