"Since I was born, just before the United States entered World War II, this nation has been at war almost continuously and today has a military presence in over 100 countries. Nothing in this warrior nation is more celebrated than the image of the noble, patriotic and fearless warrior willing to sacrifice all in combat. Two myths support this image. The first is that warriors consciously decide to fight for their nation, freedom and noble ideals. The second is that patriotic citizens left behind will do anything to help the warriors. The stories in this book explore these myths."

The notion that warriors are fully conscious of the reasons they are fighting is a convenient fiction that sustains the culture of war and the warrior state. This collection of short stories shows how most soldiers are drawn into war by circumstances they neither understand nor control. The stories mix tragedy, humor, the macabre, and absurd. They are set in the United States, Latin America, and the Middle East. Brilliantly illustrated by Sofia Vigas, the stories end with a haiku poem. The last story is a hopeful fantasy about a peaceful land where accidental warriors retreat.