Eugene James Carroll, Jr.
He died on February 19, but this war has made his absence more painful. Today after struggling once again to watch the talking heads justify this war, I particularly miss him.

In case you don't know, he served in the Navy for 35 years ending his career as an Admiral serving as deputy chief of naval operations for plans, policy and operations which included planning for conventional and nuclear warfare. Read his obituary from the New York Times and you will get a hint that in his later years he became an exceptionally adept spokesman for an intelligent approach to the use of force.

Here is what he had to say about the current president:

Mr Bush started out being very arbitrary and threatening and unilateralist and I think he's coming to the realisation that this isn't playing very well and you're seeing some retraction of our posture and threatening words. Mr Bush is in a make you learn job. I don't know of any American who's come to the Presidency with less of a grasp of international affairs and military affairs than Mr. Bush and unfortunately the learning curve is pretty rough.

Before his death he spoke and wrote intelligently against war with Iraq. I wish he were here to continue. There was something about his quiet gentle strength that carried great weight. One never got the impression that he would fail to rise to a necesary battle, nor would he enter a battle because he had something to prove.

I miss him very much.