OPINION features excerpts of pieces by columnists from the Op-Ed page and other sections of The New York Times. All columns from the last seven days are available at nytimes.com; Op-Ed pieces (by columnists and outside contributors), plus Editorials and Letters to the Editor, are at nytimes.com/opinion. Please let us know what you think of OPINION at upfront@scholastic.com.

Why aren't there more stories about war heroes like Capt. Christopher Ieva? On May 8, Ieva led a Marine assault in Iraq as part of Operation Matador, an effort to clean out insurgent safe havens in towns along the Iraqi-Syrian border. By the end of the day, 75 insurgents had been killed and 17 captured. The casual courage Ieva and his men displayed is awe-inspiring. But most Americans couldn't name a single hero from this war: Despite all the amazing things people are achieving in Iraq, we don't tell their stories back here. That's partly because in the post-Vietnam era many Americans are uncomfortable with military valor. And it's partly because some don't want this war to seem like a heroic enterprise. And it's partly because many Americans are aloof from this whole conflict, and couldn't tell you a thing about any offensive. This is a culture that knows how to honor the injured and the dead, but not the strength and prowess of its warriors. —David Brooks [11/27/05]