Iraq: On the Right Track, Six Years Later

I crossed the border from Kuwait into Iraq with the main invasion force at 11:30 at night on March 21, 2003. I had turned 25 years old that week, and I was in command an infantry platoon in the 101st Airborne Division. It was my second combat tour.

I remember everything leading up to the border crossing: The nauseating, helpless fear caused by the distant thuds of incoming Iraqi al Samoud missiles as we left Camp New Jersey, the eerie buzz of outgoing Tomahawk cruise missiles flying overhead as we sat in the dark, not far from the border, and, finally, two days of sitting on a blinding, hardpan, desert floor, only spitting distance from Iraq, digging "ranger graves" and taking pre-invasion photos.

Hours before we crossed the border, I had a conversation with a Lieutenant Colonel that I later wrote about:

"You know," he said, "everybody keeps talking about how all the Iraqis are gonna surrender, and how this is just gonna be a walk in the park. But I'm not so sure. People don't like being invaded. They don't like being bombed, and they don't like tanks in their streets--even if they do live under a dictator. That's just reality. I think there's always gonna be that guy who's out to fight for his country no matter what. He doesn't care about the politics. He just knows that we're invading his country. And he knows he's gonna do everything in his power to stop us."

I thought about it and just said, "Sir, I hope you're wrong."

That night we crossed the border with little fanfare.

*************

Six years later, we all know how that turned out. In the time since, sometimes I've felt like the narrator in Fight Club who sums up the combat experience like this:

Yes, these are bruises from fighting. Yes, I'm comfortable with that. I am enlightened.

Other times I relate more to Vonnegut in Slaughterhouse Five when he mentions "how useless the Dresden part of my memory has been." Either way, it's been the defining event in my life, and it's shaped everything I've done since--from my writing to my work in politics at VoteVets.

I spent nearly one year fighting the war in Iraq, and I've spent most of the last five years fighting to end it. And finally, this year, for the first time I feel like we've made progress. And when I say that, it's not simply because President Obama has decided that we'll be out in 16 months. Honestly, I feel more vindicated by his decision this week to engage an "enemy" of the United States--Iran--through diplomacy--and not with missiles, bombs, and an invading Army. That, I think, is the real victory of the last six years. Because it ensures that the United States is now back on the right path of not starting wars unless they're absolutely necessary and we've exhausted every other option first. It means that we're far less likely to ever make the same mistake again.

It's been a tough few years for all of us who've been touched in one way or another by the war in Iraq, and while it isn't over yet, I think there's finally cause for cautious optimism.

Comments

[Luvial]

Since when is Iran the enemy opf the USD? The US toppled their democratically elected president. The US has sanctions on Iran which is an act of war. The US shot down an Iranian airliner, etc., etc. The US is attacking Iran. Youtube diplomacy is a joke. Obama is doing nothing but continuing neo-con policies.

[hrholmes]

Military personnel receive the treatment they voted for and deserve. Told when they were brought back dead only their family would know to ‘protect’ privacy. The fallen are snuck into Dover in the middle of the night like garbage, some honor huh? Told over 5 years ago that WMD’s and 9/11 terrorists were all in Iraq by the Pentagon, none of it was true. You still are there being run by the mercenary pukes from Halliburton and Blackwater under General Betray-us. Do you regular military folks realize that the Merc’s get better equipment, food, benefits and 10 times the pay? The contractors delivering your stuff to you is mostly hand me down junk or inedible garbage. Families you left behind are reduced to working poor living on welfare and food stamps by Republican design and they hate folks ‘on the dole’. Now you can’t even do your assignment and leave because they called for ‘Stop Gap’. That’s because even in this economy they trashed there's just not enough dumb desperate people to join the military lost causes over there. They're now recruiting illegal Mexicans with vague promises of possible citizenship! In Spanish of course. One would think that such a large group like the Military would realize they have been strapped naked over the proverbial barrel for years and would wake up and speak out, unless they are too afraid of the contractors and what they would do. Maybe they just like it like that.

[WorkingClass]

Yeah right. We thought we learned our lesson after Viet Nam too. As we speak, Obama is expanding the "war" in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have to find a way to end corporate rule. Electing Democrats is not working.

[JanP]

I notice that Iran has bene trying to engage us diplomatically by blowing up americans to make their point.

[KickCongressOut]

We are on a better path. I just keep saying over and over - Where were the weapons of mass destruction??? Since they were not there, I can only surmise that either our intelligence was horrible or that the weapons of mass destruction were just a pretext to go to war in Iraq - and for what gain, esp. considering the losses in life, money, and reputation we have suffered from the invasion and occupation.

[jackwaddington]

If what they have in Iraq now is democracy give me anarchy. Bush was an idiot, which, seemingly, some in the US don't see ... yet.

[Digeeedad]

This is a letter to the editor in our local newspaper: (part 1 of 2)

Bush did the right thing…

An extraordinary event took place on Jan. 31. Eight million Iraqis voted in nationwide elections without a single incidence of violence. What most had deemed impossible happened. The first functioning Arab democracy in the Middle East gave millions of men and women a real choice of political leadership for the first time in their lives.
America did that -- not the United Nations, or the European Union, or NATO, or Russia or China. None of them would even attempt to bring democracy to Iraq; in fact, most of the world vigorously opposed it. Where there had been 30 years of state terror and torture inflicted by Saddam Hussein on a helpless population, there are now peaceful elections.
As many have done during the past eight years, we can point to the one responsible: President George Bush.

[Digeeedad]

part 2:

Bush believed that freedom and democracy would be embraced by any people given the opportunity, even Arab people. The left laughed at him as naive and dim-witted. But like President Abraham Lincoln, he believed that emancipation was worth fighting for on the battlefield. When the war looked lost, he did not give up, as lesser leaders had done in Vietnam. In spite of obscene abuse by the American left for the mistakes he made, Bush persevered, finding the military leadership he needed in Gen. David Petraeus.
The rest, as they say, is history. American soldiers fought on and finally won the war. As a result, Iraqis selected their political leaders again at the ballot box last month. They now lead the Arab nations in the exercise of those two basic human rights: freedom and democracy.
The American left worked hard for our defeat in Iraq, and they have now lost. In Bush, they met a man of faith and principle, who could not be defeated by personal attacks, poll numbers and liberal libel. This is exceedingly rare today.

The halls of greatness are walked by a few who have stood for freedom in face of overwhelming opposition. President Bush has joined their ranks.

* Absolutely astonishing that ANYONE would actually believe this! The writer (who I know personally) and his wife believe Bush to be an "annointed man of GOD", so obviously he was only doing "GOD's will", and succeeded, despite those ungodly "lefties"! Oh brother!

[JanP]

Have we heard the word "Victory" in war fromt he left since Harry Truman was president?

[Garvagh]

Iran is not the "enemy" of the US. Most Iranians would prefer normal relations with America. Iran is opposed to the insane "Greater Israel" scheme, calling for permanent war or near-war with Syria, and permanent oppression of the Palestinians. The US should support the Iranian position on this issue.

[JanP]

What are you talking about?

Israel was perfectly content within the 1967 borders until the Arabs decided they were strong enough to wipe Israel off the face fo the earth in 1967 and started the war by blockading the straits of TIran.

After they lost, the Arbas issued the 3 Nos of Khatoum: No Peace, No negotiation and No recognition. They continued with Attacks on Israel (War of Attition, Yom Kippur war and terrorism)and only Egypt and Jordan made peace with Israel.

It seems like we had a Greater Arab Movement (Umma), not a Greater Israel movement.

My how hort memories and knowledge are.

[Nancy VanTwistern]

REMEMBER VIETNAM FOLKS?? THAT WAS ONE WASTE OF LIVES....A­ND WHAT DID IT ACCOMPLISH? NORTH KOREA IS STILL SEEKING NUKES AND ACTUALLY HAS MISSLES... THE MAD MAN LEADING THEM IS NOT SEEKING PEACE OF AGREEMENT WITH ANYONE....­.........W­AKE UP YOU SLEEPY HEADS, OPEN YOUR EYES AND GET OUT OF BED.......­..........­.....

[Peji]

Nancy, find the CAPS LOCK key on your keyboard. Now press it. All caps comes across as shouting..­.I refuse to read posts like that anymore.

Thanks.

[Nancy VanTwistern]

ANYTHING WILL BE BETTER THAN WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS WITH THE INEPT GOVERNMENT WE HAD TO LIVE WITH......­.......NOT­HING BUT LIES/MACHI­NATIONS/SE­LF SEEKING REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS LEAD BY A BUMBLER AND BELIEVER IN FAIRY TALES PLUS THE SPREADING OF LIES AND FAIRY TALES. GUESS BUSH LEARNED A LOT FROM HIS ARAB PALS AND THEIR "TALES OF ARABIAN NIGHTS"

[Dalpine]

Don't be so sure. This president is outspending Bush and pushing the deficeit into the ozone. I would hardly call this administration adept with a helpless, clueless treasury secretary and a very corrupt congress. States are rushing resolutions to affirm states rights as our freedoms are disappearing before our eyes. Obama and Dodd were the lucky top two recipients of AIG donations but scapegoat Timmy takes the heat AGAIN.
If you like gun control for everyone except all government employees, government boot camp for your kids, required volunteer work for the rest of us and poverty for all then I guess Obama & co has Bush & co beat.

[Mover]

I'm always surprised when I read someone claiming that Obama's diplomacy with Iran plan is something new. There is no doubt Bush's team had been talking to them .

The problem with Obama's approach is that he seems to believe that Iran wants something from us (USA). They in fact do not want anything from except our destruction. It's hard to come to an agreement on anything when they have that attitude and our chief cook and bottle washer keeps putting himself at a disadvantage by telegraphing his mushbrained weakness.

Personally, I believe President Obama does not have a clue about anything that matters and he's got some goofy advisers following the commands of people like George Soros and his teleprompter.

Four and Done, thank you.

[Nancy VanTwistern]

WOW, MOVER.....­..........­talk about 'having no clue'..do you actually believe that Bush and his minions HAD A CLUE? The biggest "goof" recently is the one we called President Bush. Check out where his party and cohorts have led us in the United States? Well, Cheney may not have been 'goofy' but he sure was a meligancy in our midst. And speaking of teleprompt­ers...Bush couldn't even speak correctly standing in front of one.

[Mover]

They kept the economy growing at around 4% (after inheriting the Clinton Recession) with tax cuts, got rid of Sadam, unseated the Taliban and captured or killed thousands of terrorists. The only real problem was Chris Dodd and other Senate Democrats, blocking reforms for Fannie and Freddie, which is THE big factor that caused the current economy.

You already know Dodd is a liar. He claimed he was unaware of the AIG bonus clause, then had to admit it on TV.

[JGatsby]

"I'm always surprised when I read someone claiming that Obama's diplomacy with Iran plan is something new. There is no doubt Bush's team had been talking to them ."
You are wrong. After 9/11 the Iranians approached the Bush administration through a neutral country. They wanted to help us fight Al Queda and the Taliban. The Bush administration not only told them to get lost but they actually scolded the neutral country for bringing the offer. Since then Bush has ignored, baited, and provoked Iran. He did everything but talk to them. As documented by Sy Hersh Bush waged illegal covert war against Iran as well as threaten them for a nuclear weapons program that our own intelligence agencies have confirmed they don't have.
"They in fact do not want anything from except our destructio­n."
Do you have any evidence for that whatsoever? Name one aggressive thing that Iran has done in the last decade while the US has been invading, embargoing, and intervening all over the mideast. The fact is Iran is not Al Queda. Iran is a rational government that has been pushed to the wall by the Bush administration.

[Mover]

""You are wrong. After 9/11 the Iranians approached the Bush administration through a neutral country. They wanted to help us fight Al Queda and the Taliban."

A deception by Iran. They know that we share intel with our partners. Only a fool would trust Iran. They declared war on the United States in 1979 and have yet to declare it won, lost or over. They responsible or most o the terror in the world and are directly responsible for killing US soldiers in Iraq, in Lebanon in 1982 and they supply Hamas and Hezbollah with arms.

Seymor Hersh is a known liar and shill for Democrats. His speculation on Bush policies are pure speculation.

You're just another 'blame America first' guy.

Yeah, they wanted to help us all right. Too funny.

[socialmistfit]

Compared to every other war the United States has fought in, this Iraq war will likely go down in history as one of the most important successes with the fewest casualities. Today we read that Sunni and Shia are forming political alliances instead of drawing the normal secratarian lines. If this trend continues, George Bush may be historically recognized as the visionary that united the great country of Iraq and quelled a large source of Middle East conflict. No matter how hard libs try, Barack Obama will always be the one that was against it.

[Nancy VanTwistern]

FROM YOUR LIPS TO GODS, SOCIALMISFIT. As for "quelling' a large source of Middle East conflct...­WHAT??? Have you been paying attention to Pakastan, Iran and all the middle east problems? ALSO, it has been a long long time since Iraq or any other country in the area has been "GREAT"...­........it seems they have been the cause of most of the dead and maiming in the area......­.........T­HEY EVEN USE THEIR OWN AS WEAPONS...­.....now that is horrific

[davidwayneosedach]

If it's finally on track - when will it finally be over?

[Sally OBoyle]

I don't care if they are our "enemy"... let them hate us from afar. If we'd stop bombing them, occupying them, shoving our freedom and beliefs in their faces and down their throats, I'll be they'll leave us alone! Bring our troops home to start taking care of our country. To raise their families, to spend their paychecks here, to start rebuilding America.

[Nancy VanTwistern]

....and let's be VERY CAREFUL of just who we allow to 'immigrate­'.....too many are coming in illegally.­..........­........

[JanP]

How come they are busy spreading their beliefs down our throats?

And why is it wrong to stop the spread of Sharia to our coutnry? That's the legal system that allows you to murder your sister because she had sex with someone she wasn't married to? (The "Scarlet Letter" seems so tame, by comparison, doesn't it?)

[Ergon]

Iran would like to be a friend of the U.S. But with years of war-like actions against them, don't be surprised when they now sell their oil for Euros, not dollars.