Thanks for sharing some stuff about Corey Comperatore. I’ve been sick thinking about him and his family (over and above how monstrous an attempted assassination is). I’m glad to put a name and a face to him. And I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. Really bad day indeed.
Generation Kill was amazing - the book and the TV adaptation. We were already in a pretty polarizing moment then, and I knew that while I was enjoying college there were kids my age fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq. I appreciated Evan Wright’s window into that alien world (though the chapter Combat Jack may have been TMFI). He will be missed, even by people who won’t know it.
That debate moderated by Moynihan was a hard listen. Niall seems totally out of his gourd. I do not know how the Free Press/Unherd even published his essay.
I don't think so, I am totally on team Jonah, but Niall marshalled a depressing array of statistics. I really enjoy productive, illuminating debates between those who mostly agree; the shared facts allow for substantive disagreement.
Niall did have some stats but the claim that we are soviets now in any meaningful way just seems bombastic and mainly to get clicks for his headline. Jonah doesn’t disagree with the a lot to the depressing stats… he disagrees with the hyperbole. If you take away the claim the Soviet claim there is nothing new or interesting in Niall’s argument.
Agree. I usually enjoy Niall but that debate lowered my opinion. Came across as a troll. Also, I don’t know if it ever came up (I couldn’t finish), but Jonah’s brother was an addict and died of his addiction, so the idea that Jonah’s brother died because Mitch McConnell has been in the Senate too long is asinine
I like them both and have read most of their books. I think Jonah and Niall have been on different trajectories, however, with Jonah becoming less troll-y since his departure from NR and the founding of the Dispatch, and Niall becoming more so. Niall’s argument here is clickbait than is just so embarrassing for someone of his intellect and erudition.
FWIW I also think the University of Austin is pretty cringe. I think Niall’s support for that project shows that Niall has joined the ranks of giving up on our institutions and being a “heterodox outsider”—a road that has led many from “reasonable criticism” to “unhinged.” I hope he doesn’t go full James Lindsey on us!
Our institutions should be given up on and need some competition. I don't think the U of A thing has gone particularly well from what I have heard, but honestly if I was a governor my main policy priority would be tearing apart higher ed and making it something different just for the benefit of the country as a whole to have some diversity/competition. It is an incredibly sick dysfunctional world.
For those who read or watched Evan Wright's "Generation Kill," Captain Nathaniel Fick - now a U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, which is a job that exists - shared some nice words, on LinkedIn:
A few days before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, my commanding officer told me that a journalist from Rolling Stone would be riding with my platoon. I was upset. At best, he would be a distraction; at worst, a threat.
After our first close-quarters firefight, I found Evan Wright counting bullet holes in the door next to his seat. He could have left at any time, gone back to Kuwait to check into a nice hotel and file his story, but he didn’t. Instead, he spent many nights at the forward edge of the entire U.S. invasion. So many memories — Evan and I crouched behind a tire as AK rounds snap past, talking about the relativity of safety; Evan running a crazy zig-zag pattern from one covered spot to another under sniper fire, while I yell at him to just run straight goddammit; learning on a cold desert night that Evan’s bulging duffel didn’t contain a warm jacket, only cartons of Marlboro Reds he thought he could trade for whatever he’d need.
He wrote a series of articles about our platoon in Rolling Stone. They won the National Magazine Award in 2004, the top prize in magazine reporting. He turned them into a book, and then an HBO series, Generation Kill.
Evan took his own life this weekend. He leaves behind a wife and three young kids. I knew Evan as a good and gentle guy in a place that was neither good nor gentle. He wasn’t a Marine, but many of us who spent March and April, 2003 alongside him have thought of Evan for the past two decades as one of us. Rest in peace, brother.
Generation Kill is my first ballot HOF vote for understanding general Boot mentality and the hurry up and wait military process writ large. Fucking loved the show too. Goddamn shame, condolences.
On a lighter note- one very funny thing I’ve discovered while re-listening to the entire Fif compendium is that in the first year, Moynihan had a habit of constantly saying “the idea”. He even calls himself out on it in e24, I believe. Quite presidential!
I’m driving across Mongolia and it’s been a real pleasure to have you all in the car with me (it’s a long drive).
I'm sorry for your loss Matt. I'll be at an outdoor pool with the kids, but am such a fan-girl that I still plan on zooming in ... is that what the kids are calling it?
My cousin killed himself in April. Beyond the shock and grief of loosing a loved one, it's also weirdly violating in a way to loose them in such a violent manner by their own hand. I am sorry for your loss and his family's loss. It's a really terrible experience.
Was pretty much my all-time fave HBO miniseries, and certainly my favorite Iraq War-related thing. As in all great pieces of art, fundamentally about Management....
My buddy and I always say the phrase "pussy infrastructure" every time some loner shit bag does dumb shit like yesterday. Prolly watched the series 7 times at this point and hand it to everyone.
Thanks for the brief and sober comments and links, Matt. Condolences on the loss of your friend too.
Thanks for sharing some stuff about Corey Comperatore. I’ve been sick thinking about him and his family (over and above how monstrous an attempted assassination is). I’m glad to put a name and a face to him. And I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. Really bad day indeed.
Generation Kill was amazing - the book and the TV adaptation. We were already in a pretty polarizing moment then, and I knew that while I was enjoying college there were kids my age fighting terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq. I appreciated Evan Wright’s window into that alien world (though the chapter Combat Jack may have been TMFI). He will be missed, even by people who won’t know it.
Very sorry for your loss, Matt. And Nancy too, if she sees this!
That debate moderated by Moynihan was a hard listen. Niall seems totally out of his gourd. I do not know how the Free Press/Unherd even published his essay.
I don't think so, I am totally on team Jonah, but Niall marshalled a depressing array of statistics. I really enjoy productive, illuminating debates between those who mostly agree; the shared facts allow for substantive disagreement.
Of course the moderator was the best part.
Niall did have some stats but the claim that we are soviets now in any meaningful way just seems bombastic and mainly to get clicks for his headline. Jonah doesn’t disagree with the a lot to the depressing stats… he disagrees with the hyperbole. If you take away the claim the Soviet claim there is nothing new or interesting in Niall’s argument.
Agree. I usually enjoy Niall but that debate lowered my opinion. Came across as a troll. Also, I don’t know if it ever came up (I couldn’t finish), but Jonah’s brother was an addict and died of his addiction, so the idea that Jonah’s brother died because Mitch McConnell has been in the Senate too long is asinine
I like them both and have read most of their books. I think Jonah and Niall have been on different trajectories, however, with Jonah becoming less troll-y since his departure from NR and the founding of the Dispatch, and Niall becoming more so. Niall’s argument here is clickbait than is just so embarrassing for someone of his intellect and erudition.
FWIW I also think the University of Austin is pretty cringe. I think Niall’s support for that project shows that Niall has joined the ranks of giving up on our institutions and being a “heterodox outsider”—a road that has led many from “reasonable criticism” to “unhinged.” I hope he doesn’t go full James Lindsey on us!
Fully agree that the Soviet article was totally cringe. Also hoping he doesn’t go full Lindsey lol
Our institutions should be given up on and need some competition. I don't think the U of A thing has gone particularly well from what I have heard, but honestly if I was a governor my main policy priority would be tearing apart higher ed and making it something different just for the benefit of the country as a whole to have some diversity/competition. It is an incredibly sick dysfunctional world.
For those who read or watched Evan Wright's "Generation Kill," Captain Nathaniel Fick - now a U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, which is a job that exists - shared some nice words, on LinkedIn:
A few days before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, my commanding officer told me that a journalist from Rolling Stone would be riding with my platoon. I was upset. At best, he would be a distraction; at worst, a threat.
After our first close-quarters firefight, I found Evan Wright counting bullet holes in the door next to his seat. He could have left at any time, gone back to Kuwait to check into a nice hotel and file his story, but he didn’t. Instead, he spent many nights at the forward edge of the entire U.S. invasion. So many memories — Evan and I crouched behind a tire as AK rounds snap past, talking about the relativity of safety; Evan running a crazy zig-zag pattern from one covered spot to another under sniper fire, while I yell at him to just run straight goddammit; learning on a cold desert night that Evan’s bulging duffel didn’t contain a warm jacket, only cartons of Marlboro Reds he thought he could trade for whatever he’d need.
He wrote a series of articles about our platoon in Rolling Stone. They won the National Magazine Award in 2004, the top prize in magazine reporting. He turned them into a book, and then an HBO series, Generation Kill.
Evan took his own life this weekend. He leaves behind a wife and three young kids. I knew Evan as a good and gentle guy in a place that was neither good nor gentle. He wasn’t a Marine, but many of us who spent March and April, 2003 alongside him have thought of Evan for the past two decades as one of us. Rest in peace, brother.
Sorry for you losses, Matt and Nancy 🙏
Original post here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natefick_a-few-days-before-the-invasion-of-iraq-in-activity-7218449055662628865-jnkt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
The lack of hot take jackassery here is highly appreciated.
Generation Kill is my first ballot HOF vote for understanding general Boot mentality and the hurry up and wait military process writ large. Fucking loved the show too. Goddamn shame, condolences.
It’s insane that we are nearing a decade of awesomeness…
The more you mention it the more I feel blessed having found you since day one.
In less terrible news... Kmele can live anywhere now https://www.wsoctv.com/news/trending/redbox-kiosks-go-away-parent-company-changes-chapter-11-chapter-7/ZVZVRDBGJJE2DOIDFILTFLLR3I/
Sorry for your loss, Matt. Love the Gram song. That voice perfectly captures sweetness and pain. The best.
On a lighter note- one very funny thing I’ve discovered while re-listening to the entire Fif compendium is that in the first year, Moynihan had a habit of constantly saying “the idea”. He even calls himself out on it in e24, I believe. Quite presidential!
I’m driving across Mongolia and it’s been a real pleasure to have you all in the car with me (it’s a long drive).
I'm sorry for your loss Matt. I'll be at an outdoor pool with the kids, but am such a fan-girl that I still plan on zooming in ... is that what the kids are calling it?
So sorry for your loss.
My cousin killed himself in April. Beyond the shock and grief of loosing a loved one, it's also weirdly violating in a way to loose them in such a violent manner by their own hand. I am sorry for your loss and his family's loss. It's a really terrible experience.
Sorry for that, Jennifer. Super rough. I only knew Evan a bit, but I knew enough to have hoped he overcame the demons....
Matt I rewatched Generation Kill just last week and caught up with the extremely positive commentary from people who were in Iraq. That is awful news.
Was pretty much my all-time fave HBO miniseries, and certainly my favorite Iraq War-related thing. As in all great pieces of art, fundamentally about Management....
My buddy and I always say the phrase "pussy infrastructure" every time some loner shit bag does dumb shit like yesterday. Prolly watched the series 7 times at this point and hand it to everyone.