I honor the fallen in wars, but I can’t buy into the claim that their sacrifice preserved our freedom here and extended freedom abroad. That is a pernicious notion that conceals geopolitical, geoeconomic aims of the war makers who are found at the top layers of the state and society, while acculturating the rest of us to support for wars of aggression.

Consider, one example, the wars in the Middle East in this century. Did they defend or expand freedom anywhere? Were lives needlessly lost? I think the answer is obvious. History is replete with other examples.