Andrew Carleen
Cognoscenti contributor
Andrew Carleen is a former public affairs officer in the U.S. Navy who lives in Quincy, Massachusetts.
Recently published
Calling the war in Iran a success doesn’t make it so
"Any American who has been alive for the past quarter century — especially veterans of our post-9/11 military adventures like me — has seen this movie before and knows how...
We need our military leaders to show their moral courage
"It seems it’s only a matter of time before U.S. soldiers are deployed against the American people," writes Navy veteran Andrew Carleen. "When that moment comes, I wonder what kind...
Is the slide into autocracy supposed to feel so humdrum?
Trump is consolidating power over government entities with the authority to unleash violence. Such a brazen power grab would be one thing if the administration were more popular, writes Andrew...
Donald Trump has betrayed veterans — again
Republicans once liked to be seen as supportive of veterans, but Trump has ensured that's no longer the case, writes Andrew Carleen. Since Jan. 20, his administration has shown a...
Republican attacks on Tim Walz's military service are baseless
JD Vance is trying to "swift boat" Tim Walz. But in style and substance Vance, Trump and their Republican colleagues have shown nothing but contempt and disregard for our men...
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Twenty years after the war in Iraq began, we have learned nothing
Absent some kind of cultural revolution in how average citizens relate to our military and to policymaking, I fear we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past, writes...
In Yemen, our collective sin goes beyond indifference
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a sponsor of the Yemen War Powers Act, which would limit U.S. intelligence and logistical support of Saudi and coalition forces. Beyond the moral imperative, there...
How little we care for the families of those killed in our wars
We would prefer that slain service members' families be invisible, lest they remind us of the ugly truth of who and what we vote for, writes Andrew Carleen.
Patriotism isn't measured by a 1,776 foot flagpole
It's worth noting, writes U.S. Navy Veteran Andrew Carleen, that for the same price tag, the organizers could send every one of the 1.4 million veterans living in poverty a...
A Veteran Considers America's Moral Failure In Afghanistan — And His Own Culpability
Former U.S. Navy officer Andrew Carleen considers America's hasty departure from Afghanistan -- what he calls, "a betrayal of biblical proportions."