Feb. 7 - I was over at my friend's house the other day and he introduced me to a video game called "Command and Conquer: Generals." Typically I try to stay away from anything involving such wanton and gratuitous bloodshed, but this game was fantastic! I was in command of the U.S. Army against what appeared to be a rag-tag group of under-equipped but pesky insurgents loosely affiliated under the name, Global Liberation Army.

advertisement

They fought tough, I'll give them that; but when the time came for a death blow, I didn't waste time and ordered one of my bombers to drop the big one. I mean, the Big One: a tactical nuke. All that was left were some charred trees and a few cockroaches. And, man, it felt good. 

Most-Popular Articles • Newsweek Poll: Divided on Social Security —> • As Votes Tallied, Iraq’s Shia Prepare to Rule • Social Security: Do Young People Really Care? • Doubting Darwin: New Theory on Life's Origins • Clift: Entitlements? Don’t Forget Medicare

Good thing it was just a game. Otherwise, I would've been pretty repulsed by my blood lust.

And that would have put me in the minority of Americans—at least, judging by the nearly silent reaction of my countrymen to a comment made last week by Marine Lt. Gen. James Mattis.

AMERICAN BEAT     Current Column | Archives • Kuntzman: Why I Turned My Back on Bush During a silent protest at the inaugural parade, our columnist finds himself caught in the midst of a verbal volley between the president's supporters and critics • Kuntzman: The Feds Say No to Improved Marijuana Critics say the U.S. government’s officially sanctioned marijuana stinks. But when a legitimate researcher proposed to grow better crops, he was shot down.

Mattis, a three-star general who commanded troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and cuts such a heroic figure in America that he's slated to be played by Harrison Ford in an upcoming movie, had this to say about war (real war, not the game I was playing): "Actually it's a lot of fun to fight, you know. It’s a hell of a hoot.. You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

Now, if Mattis had been describing the latest gore-fest from Playstation, I wouldn't have flinched. But Mattis's inelegant description of the enjoyment of killing people is somewhat incongruous with his own commander-in-chief's description of the same conflict.

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

MORE FROM NEWSWEEK SOCIETY

Newsweek Society Section Front

• Policing Video Voyeurs and Hidden Cameras • Justice: Big Brother's New Way to Watch You • Newsweek Society Section Front

TOP STORIES • Q&A: Prince Turki al-Faisal on Saudi Elections • Kuntzman: Since When is War a 'Hoot'? • Social Security: A Daring Leap • Quinn on Retirement: How to Land on Your Feet • Iraq: What Sistani Wants

• Report: Israel-Palestinian truce • Shanley guilty of child rape • At least 30 killed in Iraq attacks • Bush proposes $2.5 trillion budget • Ford, Dodge cars, SUVs recalled