Carlos Betancourt

The Senator: the Story of a Family and the War in Iraq Carlos Betancourt

In 2002, the United States was still suffering the aftereffects of 9/11 and the loss of American lives. President Bush was doing all he could to get revenge on the terrorists that caused the tragic event, but Osama Bin Laden was no closer to being caught. There had to be dire consequences. As a result, a war in Iraq soon began, and Saddam Hussein was ultimately executed. On the home front, Senator John McCulloch felt the same as many Americans: a dead terrorist was the only good terrorist. He jumped full-throttle into the debate, backing a bill that would eventually give the President the right to invade Iraq and find the bad guys. How could John know at the time that his thirst for vengeance would send his own life into a tailspin? Even though The Senator is a work of fiction, it deals with real historical events that have had overwhelming consequences abroad and at home. Soldiers have died on foreign soil; families have mourned the loss of sons and daughters. Was it necessary to start a war in Iraq? It's a question for Senator John McCulloch, but it is also a question for America, as we look back on the beginning of this preemptive and unnecessary war.