War's dark heart

A WEEK AGO, Army SSgt Robert Bales allegedly murdered 16 Afghan civilians in cold blood. Women and children may be among the victims. Bales is innocent until proven otherwise in a military court of law. But the reported evidence thus far (possibly including a confession by Bales) appears damning. Bales, who will likely face the death penalty for his alleged crimes, is married and the father of two young children. By all accounts, he was good family man, a good soldier, and a decent human being. What on earth happened? One Army officer near the scene of the crime believes Bales "just snapped." If that is true, then we are again staring into the black heart of war's tragedy. In this circumstance, it's hard not to think of Shakespeare: “Finish, good lady; the bright day is done, And we are for the Dark.”