Rerun:The War Drug: Side Effects Are Guaranteed

Seemed like a good time to share this article again

Originally posted on March 9, 2026

Right after the recent Iranian war started, I wrote this and interestingly, it seems to be fitting today….

I just finished a walk with a friend who is part of a military family who tragically lost her brother in Viet Nam.

The story was deeply disturbing.

Jetta shared that her brother was excited to be a soldier and was glad to be drafted. He “believed in the cause.” The first letter he sent home shared that most of the young men sent were excited and seemed invincible. As soon as they landed “in country”, everything began to change.

The subtext of his letters were laced with terror.

He shared deep regret for hurting civilians. Killing families. The risk of biological warfare was everywhere. He witnessed a suicide.

His letters were of course in direct opposition with the way western media was depicting all of the “successful missions.” Back then, few Americans were brave enough to object.

After a year of disturbing notes from him, the dreaded call from the ar…