Karl Kraus On War
(Published in the Providence Journal 8-08)

Dear Editor: Regarding articles passim about the war in Iraq:

I’ve been reading Karl Kraus, the Austrian writer who flourished in the early 20th century. What he said about war seems to fit the conflict in Iraq perfectly:

“War: first, one hopes to win; then one expects the enemy to lose; then, one is satisfied that he too is suffering; In the end, one is surprised that everyone has lost.”

If only we as a nation could act on this wisdom.

T.R. Catanzarite
Riverside