Testimony of Iraq War Veteran to the US Congress

Testimony of Iraq War Veteran to the US Congress

www.globalresearch.ca

The claim of Success in Iraq due to the Troop Surge is misleading. The term "Success" has been consistently redefined any time it is applied to the the current state of affairs in Iraq, no matter what they may be. The current Mission is called Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), yet its benchmarks for accomplishment have not yet been assigned, over five years since American Soldiers began leaving their families and putting their lives at risk to serve our great nation. Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began, we, the self proclaimed 'liberators' of the people of Iraq, have put forth only futile efforts at best to try to ensure freedom for the Iraqi populace, the most simple, obvious and obligatory objective of a mission with such a name. The damage caused by failure of the Occupation of Iraq has only been increased by the Troop Surge, to both American Soldiers and the people of Iraq.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Another soldier telling the truth. We can only hope that more of them will come forward or refuse orders like the one that DimensionalDetective posted. Besides, the soldiers who are there on the ground are the only ones who can be trusted to tell the truth.

www.globalresearch.ca
(visit the link for the full news article)

Sounds very much like the war in Vietnam. No clear goals. It's almost like they want an endless war. Gee, I wonder why?

Let's see how long they can make this one last. America doesn't have the hippies to pressure the government this time.

reply to post by metro


The clear but unstated goal is to have war. It doesn't matter what the stated goals are as long as the result is the continuation of the war. This is a looting of the US Treasury.

HOW DO WE GET THE MESSAGE TO THE SOLDIERS OVERSEAS THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO GO TO WAR WITH IRAN. AND THAT THEY WILL BE SUPPORTED IN REFUSING ORDERS TO DO SO. Anyone have/try any effective ideas?


JULY 12, 2008, Washington DC - march for Freedom and Peace. Do or die time folks. We show our true numbers at this demonstration - be they great or small. This will determine if we have the support to regain control of our government or if we're just political extremists making harmless noise. Now Is The Time.



...or continue to do nothing.

Originally posted by metro
Sounds very much like the war in Vietnam. No clear goals. It's almost like they want an endless war. Gee, I wonder why?

Let's see how long they can make this one last. America doesn't have the hippies to pressure the government this time.

For them, an endless war means endless profits. They see our soldiers, our brothers, fathers, sisters, etc., as expendable. They claim that war helps the economy. Sometimes it does, but this time it is only serving to fatten their wallets and oppress the American public.

reply to post by scarlett1125

For them, an endless war means endless profits. They see our soldiers, our brothers, fathers, sisters, etc., as expendable. They claim that war helps the economy. Sometimes it does, but this time it is only serving to fatten their wallets and oppress the American public.

Thats exactly right. War profiteering used to be something to be ashamed of in the US. Now it is a business model.

reply to post by wytworm

Yes, and the only people who can stop it are "we the people." But we have to get more informed on these issues if we really want change. We can't just sit back and hope that we are getting all the information that will be necessary to effect change. If we don't seek it out, it will not become a reality.

reply to post by scarlett1125


What do you propose?

Originally posted by wytworm
reply to post by scarlett1125

 

What do you propose?

My personal opinion is that we have to organize. We have to get people together and make sure that we are all accounted for at all times. We write letters, sign petitions, and get the word out that it is not enough to just whine about the government or to hope that the next leader becomes something more than the current one. It is time to hold our elected officials accountable and put an end to the secret government that has taken all that is dear.

In the meantime, we also have to be practical and prepare for martial law. Personally, I would rather be ready and be wrong than to be right and unprepared. I would also like to know who I can trust should that time come. There are some forums out there that have similar beliefs, but their organization is spotty and the people are too far removed from each other to feel any real connection. I believe that we would have to have local groups at the ready in order to be truly effective in this.

One more thing: we need some people who understand legal issues and constitutional law. I have some understanding and can make a damned good argument when I need to, but I fear that I do not have the proper training to make such a move against the powers that be.

So, we need organizers, strategists, meeting places, time, writers (my personal field), legal experts, and warm bodies. It is our numbers that will make the difference. The problem is that we have too many small factions and not enough real numbers focused on any one objective to make the difference.

reply to post by scarlett1125


I'm in. I am already taking some steps to go off grid for other reasons...most organizations start with one person moving for it and another seconding it..

I second!

You all have to remember that this is a war on ideology not on the people, Iraq or Iran. This is not a conventional war and there will be no direct dates to leave or goals that do not change. These radical regimes and fighters have held the middle east in the stone ages with no way of advancing as a society. It's time for the Middle East to catch up with the world and the only way to do that is to rid it of radical people who want to suppress it's people. Here's something you don't see on the news around here at all. It's from Al-Jazeera TV and talks about fundamentalist vs secularist in a Arab debate. The people there want and need to change if they want to become a great country of free society people.



The Iraq War veteran has a right to speak his mind and to say how he feels and I thank him and others who fight to keep that right alive in this country.

I don't believe that I ever said that he didn't have the right to speak his mind, but I do find it appalling that he fought believing that the right to freedom of speech was not an inherent right of everyone.

However, more to your point, I think that the Middle East needs an overhaul. I just don't think that pushing our ideals off on a people who are so extremely different from individualistic Americans is the proper way to deal with the problem. I would have been fine with the idea that we could fight alongside the Iraqi people who were already trying to overthrow Saddam. It's when we made the decision for them that I think we made the mistake. It was their right, and it is their right to fashion their government in a way that best fits their society. It is not our right to tell them that our way is the only way.

Besides all of that, do you really think that they are enjoying having their country occupied? What if the other nations in the UN decided tomorrow that the American way was hurting the rest of the world and that the proper response was to occupy the US and tell us how we should run things? Would you enjoy that? Would you thank the powers that be for our good fortune? Or would you feel that your country and all that you cared about had been invaded? Nevermind the senseless killing of innocent Americans who just wanted to be at peace or to have their homes free of gunfire. The idea of having soldiers on our streets would make one's skin crawl. I can't imagine that the Iraqi people are greeting us as the "liberators" that Americans were led to believe we would be.

There are no easy solutions, but if we don't let the Iraqis build their own country and their own government, they will fall prey to a different kind of corruption--just as we have. Does that mean that we shouldn't help? No. It means that we shouldn't be doing it for them. It's their country and at some point, they have to take responsibility for what happens there.

reply to post by scarlett1125


I disagree in a weird way. Don't think for a minute if the Middle East disappeared tomorrow we wouldn't be in some other conflict within 5 years somewhere else. The goal is war without end They do not care with whom or for what.

Originally posted by wytworm
reply to post by scarlett1125

 

I disagree in a weird way. Don't think for a minute if the Middle East disappeared tomorrow we wouldn't be in some other conflict within 5 years somewhere else. The goal is war without end They do not care with whom or for what.

I still believe that we have more power than they do; we just have to use it. If we don't, then you're probably right. At some point, we have to just get fed up enough.