Readers of the more than 200 newspapers in the United States and abroad in which Doonesbury appears have enjoyed a privileged awareness of what the Vietnam War might have be as conducted by the denizens of Walden Commune.
 
This latest collection of the popular cartoon strip allows the rest of the nation to witness: a private treaty between quarterback B.D. and an ingratiating Viet Cong terrorist named Phred; slightly stoned war correspondent; the home front protestations of Reverend Scot Sloan, an amiable sophist who likes to be referred to as "the fighting young priest who can speak to the young"; and, of course, the philosophical stumblings of the Sunday Liberal himself, Michael J. Doonesbury.
 
But This War Has Such Promise may not remove all the anxiety of foreign entanglement, but it should provide some kind of temporary relief.
 
Garry Trudeau is said to be studying for his master's at Yale. While he remains somewhat of an enigma to his biographers, it is widely known that his boyhood idol was John Foster Dulles.
Ah, the bittersweet lament of lost potential!
 
Wars often begin with grand visions, fueled by fervor and hope. Yet, as they unfold, the promise often fades, replaced by the harsh realities of conflict. The clash of ideologies, the sacrifices made, and the shattered dreams—all woven into the fabric of history.
 
In the quiet moments, we reflect on what might have been: the bridges that could have connected hearts, the gardens that might have bloomed, and the symphonies silenced by the cacophony of battle. Perhaps it’s in these reflections that we find our deepest regrets—the “what ifs” that echo across time.
 
But let us not forget that even amidst the chaos, there are acts of courage, compassion, and resilience. Soldiers who become heroes, families who endure, and communities that rebuild. Perhaps therein lies the true promise—the indomitable human spirit that persists, even when hope seems distant.
 
So, my friend, as we ponder the unfulfilled potential of wars, let us also seek the seeds of peace, for they too hold promise.