We're saving lives on the battlefield. Lives that would have been lost in previous wars. That's good. War takes too many lives. But there are ways to take lives that don't involve killing someone. And we're taking a lot of lives that way, many more than before. Here's Liam Clancy with the great song by Australian singer-song writer Eric Bogle:
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« The Tamiflu doesn't work non-story | Main | If you want a real downer, agribusiness will be glad to provide you with one »
Afghanistan: making it back is only half the battle
Category: Anti-war • Injury • Iraq/Afghanistan
Posted on: December 10, 2009 6:10 PM, by revere
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Comments
EMPATHY.
I haven't heard Tommy Makem sing in such a long time. Thank you, Revere. That is a quality so lacking in public discourse nowadays. This melancholy song, sung with such incredible empathy and Irish soul is indeed just overwhelmingly powerful and thought provoking.
Posted by: O'Leary | December 10, 2009 8:34 PM
It's a great song, for sure, but that is Liam Clancy singing it, not Tommy Makem (who comes out at the end and starts playing the next song with Liam). Liam died on 4 November. It's nice to see him.
I don't mean to distract from your point about the taking of lives. I have no doubt that both Liam and Makem would have agreed. Thanks for the post.
Posted by: ecologist | December 10, 2009 10:40 PM
Yikes. Of course you are right. I should have realized it. My face is red but the post is now correct. Thank you for pointing out this embarrassing error on my part.
Posted by: revere | December 11, 2009 6:39 AM
Thanks for this powerful version of one of my all-time favorite songs. I have an old recording of Eric Bogle doing it. I try to play it myself on guitar but can never finish. I don't know how they do it. And I ask myself the same question....
Posted by: Mark | December 11, 2009 1:16 PM