Andrew J. Bacevich is a professor of international relations at Boston University, former director of its Center for International Relations , and author of several books, including American Empire: The Realities and Consequences of US Diplomacy and The New American Militarism: How Americans are Seduced by War . He has been "a persistent, vocal critic of the US occupation of Iraq, calling the conflict a catastrophic failure." In March of 2007, he described George W. Bush's endorsement of such "preventive wars" as "immoral, illicit, and imprudent." His son died fighting in the Iraq war in May of 2007.