Acknowledge Quote by James Carroll
“It takes a disciplined imagination to acknowledge that the less personal savageries of bombs, missiles, artillery and heavy weapons are, to those blown to smithereens, also barbaric. The main horror of what the coalition is doing is not a matter of the occasional soldier who, in the heat of battle, commits a war crime, but the steady destruction rained on cities, villages, the Iraqi people. This violence is wreaked calmly, from a distance, within the rules of engagement. The war itself is the American war crime.”
About This Quote
The passage critiques modern warfare, emphasizing that remote, systematic violence inflicted by powerful forces constitutes a collective moral failing, not just isolated soldier crimes.
In simple terms: Remote, systematic violence is a collective moral failing.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and oppose systemic violence.
Themes
war
ethics
responsibility
technology
humanity
Mood
critical
somber
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy advocacy
- journalism
- education
- peace activism
Key Concepts
political philosophy
human rights
military ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do societies have for remote warfare?
- How can citizens influence military policy?
A Different Perspective
Complex geopolitics can obscure individual accountability.
![“...she had discovered within herself the unlikely gift for functioning with equilibrium and efficiency inside a full-blown, unending nightmare. [A Red Cross worker during WWII in Italy]” quote by James Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b4a/james-carroll-36259_heart_she-had-discovered-within-herself-the-un_820537.jpg)
![“Back home, this Catholic kid was accustomed to a Protestant culture's condescension, but here he could see for himself the world-historic glories of Catholicism... [A Catholic American soldier's reaction to seeing St. Peter's Basilica during WWII.]” quote by James Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d54/james-carroll-36259_catholic_back-home-this-catholic-kid-was-accustom_2716221.jpg)
