Building peace: Veterans work to end wars

August 9, 2:21 AMPhoenix Progressive ExaminerDebbie Jordan

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The coffin of Britain's last World War I infantry veteran, Harry Patch, is carried away after his memorial service at Wells Cathedral in Wells, England, Thursday, August 6, 2009. As a mark of reconciliation, soldiers from Britain, Belgium, France, and Germany walked behind the hearse carrying the coffin as it was driven through Wells, where thousands of people lined the streets to watch the funeral procession of Patch, who died at age 111, and who was a veteran of the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

On July 25, Harry Patch, the last British veteran of World War I, died, marking the passing of an entire generation of veterans of the so-called "war to end all wars." What was most remarkable about Patch’s experience is that he came to believe that what he and his fellow soldiers had done so proudly in their youth had been in vain. At a remembrance ceremony on November 11, 2007, Patch explained:

Today is not for me. It is for the countless millions who did not come home with their lives intact. They are the heroes. It is also important we remember those who lost their lives on both sides."

Patch didn’t talk about the war for 80 years, but he came to believe the casualties were not justified.

I met someone from the German side and we both shared the same opinion: we fought, we finished and we were friends.

"It wasn't worth it."

Before the 1970s, one rarely heard this sentiment expressed by veterans. When it was, the person was called unpatriotic, and a huge contingent still believes such ideas are treasonous. On the other hand, a host of men and women returned from Vietnam believing their service had been in vain. At first, they expressed this feeling in self-destructive ways, through alcoholism and/or drug addiction. Eventually the term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was coined to explain the emotional problems observed in so many Vietnam vets.

At first, older veterans of World War II and Korea considered this to be unique to their younger counterparts, but eventually experts understood veterans from all wars suffered similar problems. Heavy drinking and smoking, abuse of drugs, both legal and otherwise, and a tendency toward violence, including family abuse--all were more common among veterans of any wars than was previously acknowledged.

Joining together to stand up for peace--first to end the Vietnam conflict and later, all wars--was a direct result of the social action of Vietnam veterans. Since 1985, Veterans For Peace have been dedicated to end war as a political policy, including members of the Phoenix Chapter. Other peace groups, such as Arizona Institute for Peace Education and Research (AIPER), have programs to help veterans, especially disabled vets. This is necessary because the previous administration relied on war to confront international issues but failed to take full responsibility for the troops who fought those wars for the politicians.

The new administration takes a mature approach to foreign affairs. For instance, when two American reporters were arrested and sentenced to 12 years hard labor, President Obama didn’t threaten all manner of dire consequences if Kim Jong Il didn’t immediately release the women. Instead, he stayed true to his nickname of "No Drama" Obama and let the game play out behind the scenes, where real diplomacy was taking place.

Now that Laura Ling and Eula Lee are safely home again, perhaps we can look forward to the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan taking more responsibility for their own security so more American troops can return home to their own families. That would be an even bigger step toward honoring the troops while finding peaceful ways to deal with global issues.

For more info: Veterans For Peace; AIPER - veterans support services