Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

‘The Evil Hours,’ a wonderful new book on PTSD (II): It even made me laugh

FP's Tom Ricks continues to enjoy The Evil Hours, a new book on PTSD.

Ingoing US First Infantry Division Comma
Ingoing US First Infantry Division Comma
TIKRIT, IRAQ: Ingoing US First Infantry Division Commander Mj. Gn. John R.S. Batiste (L) shakes hands with outgoing Forth Infantry Division Commander Mj. Gn. Raymond T. Odierno (L) during the transfer of authority ceremony as the top US commander on the ground, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, looks on in Tikrit, 180 kms north of Baghdad, 16 March 2004. The 1st ID will replace the fourth ID in this outpost in north central Iraq. AFP PHOTO/Cris BOURONCLE (Photo credit should read CRIS BOURONCLE/AFP/Getty Images)

I laughed when I read this exchange David Morris had with a soldier from the 1st Infantry Division in October 2007:

I laughed when I read this exchange David Morris had with a soldier from the 1st Infantry Division in October 2007:

“I think I might be a pacifist, sir.”

“Oh, really, how’s that working out for you?” I said.

“Okay, not a pacifist, but what’s it called? An expatriate.”

“You’ve got a running start being over here.”

“I’m serious, sir. I can’t stand Americans.”

My wife heard me laugh and looked up. “What’s funny in a book about PTSD?” she asked.

Cris Bouroncle/AFP

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.