The Internet is an amazing place. I just stumbled across this letter I wrote to the editor of the NY Times that was published in April, 26 years ago. Actually, not all that much has changed, except in magnitude.
MORE THAN HONOR AND OIL IN FALKLANDS WAR
Published: April 11, 1982
To the Editor:
In his April 5 column, William Safire quoted a ''famed geopolitician'' anticipating that this would be ''a war between two civilized nations .... Wow.''
Mr. Safire assesses the situation and concludes that such a war will end with ''something for everybody - with the most important something the retention of national honor.'' His parting words: ''Good sailing, Maggie.''
Mr. Safire has revealed an uncivilized blood lust. This proper little war has already claimed three lives and could take many more. These are not flag-waving tin soldiers, fallen in defense of ''national honor,'' but young men with parts of their all-too-fragile bodies ripped to pieces; flesh torn apart amid blood and bits of gore. These are children screaming in pain, fathers who leave their families and a soon-forgotten generation of walking wounded.
As Mr. Safire stands at the berth, waiting on Mrs. Thatcher - who is not sailing at all; she is issuing the order which she hopes, with the rattling of her saber, will save her political career - let him ponder for just a moment the possible cost in lives and suffering of this avoidable little conflict.
These boys may be chewed up on a battlefield, far from home, in the hollow name of ''national honor,'' but truth is they shall have died defending Britain's dubious claim to offshore oil.