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The Duality of War

By Bill Zahren
(Posted 03/25/03)

Ever since the first bombs fell in Iraq, I’ve had a scene from the Vietnam War movie Full Metal Jacket running in a loop through my head.

In the scene, Pvt. Joker (Matthew Modine) meets a Marine colonel (Bruce Boa) while out in "the shit" (the field).

The colonel notices Joker is wearing a peace button on his body armor, yet has "Born to Kill" written on his helmet. (Shout out to Full Metal Jacket screenwriters Gustav Hasford [the movie was also based on his novel], Michael Herr and Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick also directed.)

COLONEL: You write "Born to Kill" on your helmet and you wear a peace button. What's that supposed to be, some kind of sick joke?!

JOKER: I think I was trying to suggest something about the duality of man, sir.

COLONEL: The what?

JOKER: The duality of man. The Jungian thing, sir.

COLONEL: Whose side are you on, son?

JOKER: Our side, sir.

COLONEL: Don't you love your country?

JOKER: Yes, sir.

COLONEL: Then how about getting with the program? Why don't you jump on the team and come on in for the big win?

JOKER: Yes, sir!

Whose side am I on? I’m on our side, sir. But I have Private Joker-level duality bordering on schizophrenic issues with Gulf War II.

The Peace Sign side of me says, "Violence is a bad idea 98% of the time. Violence, once started, reproduces like cockroaches and is twice as hard to stop. What would Jesus do?"

Then the Born to Kill side interrupts: "Screw that, solider. It’s time to jump on the team and come in for the big win! They got our men and women over there. Parading them around for the cameras. Time to unleash a bunch of 3rd Armored whoopass."

I’m pretty sure most Americans are similarly bi-polar on the war. Beyond all the graphics-intensive, droning TV coverage featuring retired generals, here’s what it comes down to for me: Now that we’re in it, let’s win it and get it over with. I don't see an alternative to finishing the job. Protest if you must -- I defend your right -- but the road home runs through Baghdad. It should have run through Baghdad during Gulf War I in 1991, but we bailed early and here we are again. Let’s do it right this time and avoid Gulf War III.

I am embarrassed that many people consider watching the NCAA Tournament on cable rather than CBS as "sacrificing for the war effort." And that we seem determined to slap this $75 billon war on our kids’ MasterCard while giving ourselves a tax cut. I also wonder a lot how far $75 billion would have gone if put to peaceful use.

But, above all, I hope to hell G.W. et al know what they’re doing, because from here in Iowa this looks like the Big Global Dice Roll.

The Nightmare Scenario: A few thousand Americans die during the war, Saddam pulls an Osama and slips away, and we fail to find any "weapons of mass destruction" which were the whole justification for spanking butt in the first place.

That would put our Middle East relations butt in a sling and give the next generation of Osama’s a major growth spurt.

So along with praying for it to be over quick with as little killing on both sides as possible, I hope the liberated Iraqis lead reporters to the massive bunkers full of chemical weapons and 8-12 nuclear warheads.

Because I’d much rather hear Bush say, "I told you so" than "Oh shit."

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