Laughing in a Time of War

I've never much liked people who take themselves too seriously. I occasionally find myself guilty of the practice, but someone is usually at the ready to deflate my temporarily outsized ego. Kids are wonderful for this.

Anyone who regularly reads Eric Alterman's blog, Altercation, is familiar with Major Bob Batemen, an intellectual and academic who is currently at work in Iraq with the Army. His posts are generally serious - pointed and moving, but serious. This is not to say that I think he takes himself too seriously - he's separated from family and loved ones and in the middle of a lousy war with no real metrics for winning or losing and ...well, you know that story.

Anyway, take a gander at his entry in Altercation today. It's written by a friend of his about an incident Major Bob wrote about previously. My respect for Major Bob and his friend increased from an already high level to off the charts after reading this funny account with the requisite military jargon and a refreshing dose of self parody.

Enjoy.