Iraq: Six Long Years Of Deception
Six years ago today I was in Kuwait awaiting orders to cross the border into Iraq with the first wave of invading forces. It was predicted that U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators, weapons of mass destruction would be found, and democracy would flourish across the Mideast. What a gross miscalculation of the aftermath. Iraq became a slaughterhouse while political and social unrest emerged here at home.
So many questions remain unanswered. Did the Bush administration knowingly deceive us into an unnecessary war? Did we kill Iraqis to protect America? Did our troops die fighting terrorism? Or was it just for an ideology of a select group of people in power? Was it for oil? Was it all for nothing?
Why do I torture myself with these questions when I already know the answers? I know this was a needless war of choice, but at the same time I just can't fully grasp the abusive political authority exercised by our government.
Many Americans still don't understand the ramifications of the Iraqi occupation. Reason being is that the sacrifice was/is very much unshared. This war has generated great support from people who could serve but don't. So many young able-bodied American males have lobbied for a continuation of the Iraq conflict yet never had the guts to go anywhere near it. On many occasions they've called veterans who have served in Iraq "traitors" for conveying their disillusionment with the war to the public. These cowardly imbeciles view their activity as a substitute for military service. What a crock. My crowd calls them chicken hawks, but that's an understatement. They're one of the worst elements of society. There is nothing American or patriotic about advocating for others to die for your cause while you stay home. They're true followers of Bush and Cheney's foot steps. They can't fade away into obscurity quick enough for me.
The war has caused much bloodshed for the Iraqi people. How many Americans care about that? Not too many. We can't envision a foreign army invading this country and changing our way of life at gunpoint. If the tables were turned we would be out in the streets demonstrating our right to bear arms -- kicking ass and taking names. Would that make us terrorists? Hell no! So why is it shocking that Iraqis have violently resisted our occupation of their country? The human psychology behind this should not be difficult to understand. The fact of the matter is we don't want to accept the reality of the situation.
Imagine if the Russians or the Chinese invaded Iraq and seized control of the oil fields. We would have been singing a totally different song all of these years. We would call it aggression and communism. So what affords us the right to do it?
Our troops and the Iraqi people who've lived through this war will have a lifetime to dwell on it. My hope for the Iraqis is that something good comes out of this catastrophe. That one day Iraq does become a free and peaceful nation. However, I don't see that happening for a long time. As for our troops many return home to families and friends who don't understand and don't want to understand. This pushes our veterans further into isolation from the world they once knew. For some vets the menu of options consists of divorce, suicide, substance abuse, and permanent mental health problems.
No one promises members of the military a rose garden after war. At the same time their government should never abuse them in such a way that we've seen over the last six years. Our military men and women have been used, thrown around, involuntarily extended, stop-lossed, and recalled. How much can we expect from our service people?
Maybe it's time to stop beating this drum and move on. However, if everyone were to do that what's to stop a future president from using our military for his/her own personal agenda? Nothing.
Where does accountability factor in? Sadly, it doesn't. Should Bush and Cheney be prosecuted for their crimes? Absolutely. But it's not going to happen. If you're waiting for Congress or the Justice Department to conduct investigations, hold hearings, and bring charges against the Bush administration don't hold your breath. George W. Bush received overwhelming bi-partisan approval from Congress for his war. He blatantly and repeatedly lied to our faces and we reelected him. Now it's over. Bush and the members of his administration will have the rest of their lives to spend with their children and grandchildren. Kind of ironic since they deprived so many others of that right.
It's frightening that the government of the United States was run by such corrupt leaders for eight years. It's often said that no one is above the law. Well obviously that's not true -- just ask George W. Bush.
I know this comes off as a redundant "Bush bashing" piece. However, who else is to blame on the sixth anniversary of the war? Even though Bush was president he was extremely impressionable and susceptible to peer pressure from Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and other neocon intellectuals who know nothing about war except for what they read in books. They are so smart they're actually stupid as they demonstrated over and over again.
Hopefully Iraq will teach us what we failed to learn from the war in Vietnam; that we never let it happen again.
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John I appreciate your sentiment. You say, "The war has caused much bloodshed for the Iraqi people. How many Americans care about that? Not too many. We can't envision a foreign army invading this country and changing our way of life at gunpoint. If the tables were turned we would be out in the streets demonstrating our right to bear arms... ... The fact of the matter is we don't want to accept the reality of the situation.
Lets analyze presidential missteps and we should understand moods of the people. The fact is that Nixon suffered ignominy and nation's wrath by being a burglar. He was impeached for that reason. Clinton suffered ignominy and nation's wrath by being involved in sex scandal. He was not impeached because he improved the economy. Bush lied to us in four counts, and we believed him, but he invaded a sovereign nation with the pretext, "Saddam wanted to kill my dad" and we again believed him. He destroyed our economy and brought well thought out recession, but he blamed it on the ruined world economy -- not his fault. We still believed him! Thats why nobody wants to do anything about it.
One wonders if time has been fair to these three presidents for their folly or missteps, or its just the peoples mood which swings like a pendulum.
War is in and of itself deceptive. What is worse is that some of the citizens are crazy enough to accept the spin and lay down their lives, or at best destroy their own psyche, to support the deception. Everyone that volunteers to serve in the military is taking a risk (knowingly) that will destroy or disrupt their lives enormously and hence deceiving themselves. Military men are (paid) professional killers. There's nothing noble (or even brave) about such a choice--just unutterable stupidity.
The author forgot to mention the biggest part of the Bush/Cheney deception. The fact that the two "No fly/No drive zones" of Northern and Southern Iraq with the world's most powerful military coalition (i.e., US. UK, Canada. etc.) kept Anti-Iranian, Anti-Al Qaeda, Christian protecting, woman liber, secular Saddam in a box without any possibility of using weapons of mass destruction. This said deception is the greatest lie/hoax ever perpetrated on the American people and the world.
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usastar,
Thanks for adding what I forgot to mention -- sincerely.
V/R
John
Amen, John.
The fake patriot / pro-Iraq / fake supporters of this unnecessary war are some of the most shameful citizens in our history. Even during Viet-Nam I was not condemned and insulted and shunned and told to shut up and ignored as I have been during this Iraq nightmare for speaking the truth.
Thank you for telling it like it is.
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rgblue,
Oh yes, they're shameful. The worst element of American society. I appreciate your thanks and thank you right back.
V/R
John
John, I thank you for your service. I thank every soldier I see in uniform. I lived through Vietnam. It destroyed my brother. And others I loved. I will never again be silent toward a soldier's service. Any any soldier is welcome on my mountaintop any time, to sit and unwind or cry or scream or enjoy the view.
I agree with all you said so well. But God can take lemons and make lemonade and that is what must be done after the sacrifice of so much of the national treasure of two countries and more. Sadly, I think that must include the unpleasantness of holding powerful men accountable for their evils. If not in a court of law, then in our streets on and on blogs and TVs, until the world knows we understand.
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suzc,
I very much appreciate your thanks. Yes, we must keep speaking up -- truth to power.
V/R
John
I'll tell you who else is to blame other than Bush and his cronies, Mr. Bruhns. The American People -- at least a large enough percentage of them to vote Bush into office TWICE (or the ones who stayed home and didn't vote in either election that allowed Bush to win). Until we pull our heads out of our collective butts and start paying attention to what's really going on in the world, there's always the chance that a numbskull like W. can be our next Great Leader. Again and again and again. We seem to have turned a corner with the recent election of Obama, but don't underestimate the ability of Americans to react stupidly if Obama can't quickly fix the problems the previous administration created...
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whitspur,
Thank you for your true words of wisdom. So true -- sincerely.
V/R
John
John, You wouldn't be the first veteran or the last who felt used and abused. Many of us as far back as Vietnam feel as though we fought in wars that were really never necessary but happened because as you pointed out there are always the Chicken Hawks to pump up the need for one. Perhaps you have heard of Major General Smedley Butler. He wrote a book called "War is a Racket". You should read it if you haven't already. He may have been a General, and a Marine, but he had some very negative thoughts on Wars, how they get started and why. It is always the citizen soldier who takes it on the chin. It is always the Chicken Hawks who end up fat, rich and marrying your girlfriend, the one who wrote you the Dear John ( Not you, just an example). What we need to do is to create a law that says that those who perpetuate a war must go and fight it as grunts. No wing wipers or button pushers allowed, but on the ground face to face with your "enemy". That might put a stop to their War Cheerleading.
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Artos,
I'm right with you on everything you wrote in your comment. I LOVED this part:
"What we need to do is to create a law that says that those who perpetuate a war must go and fight it as grunts. No wing wipers or button pushers allowed, but on the ground face to face with your "enemy". That might put a stop to their War Cheerleadi
I'm a former grunt. So I would love to see it happen.
Thanks,
John
I feel that the election of Barack is a testament to the power of the people who chose to get involved.
If enough people choose to do the right thing and let their Senators and Representatives know that we demand that justice be done, that we want our Atty. General (who, BTW, works for US) to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute the Bush Admin. for War Crimes, then at least there is a chance our voices WILL be heard. But, if, on the other hand everyone just sits back and waits for "someone else" to act.then probably nothing will ever come of it.
Consider this: If America tortures, then Americans are torturers. Do you want that stain on your country, on you? That is completely unacceptable to me. Get up, take action, speak out! Find out who your representatives are and call them and email them REPEATEDLY but respectfully and TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL and WHAT YOU WANT them to do. They ALSO work for YOU. Do you want Bush & Co. to get away with their crimes? Should they be "above the law"? Remember: silence implies consent.
The Senate Switchboard phone # is: 202.224.31
A call of a few brief sentences takes less than 1 min. Do it! You'll feel so much better for having done SOMETHING!
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TheAnti-Bush,
You wrote:
"I feel that the election of Barack is a testament to the power of the people who chose to get involved."
I very much agree -- those who "chose" to get involved.
My problem has always been motivating the others; those who didn't chose to get involved.
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TheAnti-Bush,
You wrote:
"I feel that the election of Barack is a testament to the power of the people who chose to get involved."
I very much agree -- those who "chose" to get involved.
My problem has always been motivating the others; those who didn't choose to get involved.
V/R
John
John, I'm sitting here after a lot of red wine, thinking of the parallels between your war, and mine, Viet Nam. I want you to know that you're not the first to serve who later came to understand the evil that so many young Americans have been asked to do in the name of our Country for so many generations.
But it isn't America that asks for those sacrifices of innocence and honor.
It is, and always has been the same forces that have driven this country to its knees economically today. That other than the Revolutionary War and the Civil War I don't believe that we have ever gone to fight and die for anything having to do with defending this country. That the banking interests that fund and bet on both sides in every conflict are the only winners!
I admire and respect the men and women of this country who choose to put on the uniform to serve and protect. But my heart dies to think that they have been used by the Wall Street 1%ers to advance their agenda of profit at any price.
With the power to destroy the world one hundred times over, do we really need to send our sons and daughters to die? Or are these manufactured conflicts nothing more than the continued sacrifice of our best in the name of unholy profit?
Thank you John for all you've done.
And thank you for your service too!
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Rule Of Law,
I love these very important questions you ask:
"With the power to destroy the world one hundred times over, do we really need to send our sons and daughters to die? Or are these manufactured conflicts nothing more than the continued sacrifice of our best in the name of unholy profit?"
There answers are hard because the truth hurts.
Thank you for all you've done as well.
- John
" We can't envision a foreign army invading this country and changing our way of life at gunpoint. If the tables were turned we would be out in the streets demonstrating our right to bear arms -- kicking ass and taking names. Would that make us terrorists? Hell no! So why is it shocking that Iraqis have violently resisted our occupation of their country?"
A heartfelt thanks for that passage. I remember right after we invaded Iraq, I asked that question whenever I heard the "we've got to fight them over there or we will fight them over here....." meme.
The universal response? Total bafflement.
As though the question was irrelevant to what they were talking about.
Unbelievable.
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blagntelligence,
I agree: Total Bafflement. Thanks for the comment.
- John
I mostly agree with you. But....
"Maybe it's time to stop beating this drum and move on."
Over 1,000,000 Iraqis murdered. Not just needless or "of choice". Unconscionable crime against humanity, with massive enduring effects.
"Bush ... blatantly and repeatedly lied to our faces... It's frightening that [we elected and re-elected] such corrupt leaders for eight years."
I think that's the first problem. Could we possibly have been given a more blatantly corrupt set of torturers, warmongers, and idiots to vote against? What matters to us, besides american idol?
"I know this comes off as a redundant "Bush bashing" piece. However, who else is to blame on the sixth anniversary of the war?"
Bush bashing? How is calling out high crimes in high office "bashing"? We have not just a right, but a DUTY to do that. A crime against humanity has no expiration date.
Please read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.
Thank you.
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exdittos,
Your comment seems to reaffirm my piece. I'll check the Shock Doctrine. Thanks for your insight.
- John
The Iraq War was a desire of GW and his henchment before he was President. They encouraged Clinton to invade and he would not. It was done for oil and to aid in the transfer of government funds from public to private coffers. The Bush administration should be indicted for treason.
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cwcarman,
Without doubt, numerous crimes were comitted by Bush and his administration. There is no question they should be held accountable, but who will do it? Congress has repeatedly demonstrated no moral courage what so ever. The Justice Department maybe, but not likely.
how about the loud resounding voices of the American people John. justice must be served or we can no longer call ourselves Americans while the likes of bush,chene
Please don't say that we won't prosecute. Although nothing can be changed now and all of the dead and injured will still be. For the sake of this Country and the world we MUST hold these criminal accountable. As a Christian, I am supposed to forgive and not judge, but as a human being I want them to pay.
Do you really think that Christ intended you to "not judge" when it comes to murderous invasions and brutal wars of aggression? Maybe he'd say remain peaceful, and don't judge the shooters/bombers, but how could you imagine that Christ would want you to NOT speak out against butchery? Against a wanton murderous rampage, carried out in your name, and in His name?? How could you have been led to believe that??
Don't get me wrong. I don't suggest throwing over tables at your local bank, but you really ought to find out what he said and did.
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lgillooly,
It's my opinion that they won't be prosecuted. But it's not up to me. Who knows. Maybe we'll get surprised, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm Christian as well. Bush claims to be a Christian. I can remember George Carlin saying (in reference to Bush) "when he reaches the pearly gates he's going to have a lot to answer for."
- John
As a Christian, you can forgive and not judge and still carry a big stick. Christians are not supposed to be stupid! God gave us brains, after all! Turning the other cheek did not mean letting some terrorist blow it off! Follow Christ's example; remember him throwing the money lenders out of the temple in disgust?
What a great symbol for what we should be demanding today! Throw the money out of the "temple", the seat of power of Congress and the WH and the Supreme Court (which has not been independent for years)! Hold that seat of power sacred. And make certain those inhabiting it, especially those who inhabit it for LIFE, do the same! (The problem is they have NOT done so for far too long!)
You were liberators of a sort, but that stuff wears thin after a few months. The WMD, of course, existed only in the minds of the Bushie neocons and on the wishlist of Saddam. That democracy thing is a tougher call. It really falls into what Rumsfeld called the "Known unknowns". Whether it takes three years or thirty years or even three hundred years it will always be an interesting theory. The question that should be stuffed into the faces of the Bush administration is, "Is other people's freedom more important than our own?" We know that Dubya was feeling pretty cocky as "the only superpower", but how many billions and billions and billions of dollars did we really have in our disposable income? As recent events have shown, not so many as they thought we could all get away with.
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Gevan,
I couldn't agree more. "Democracy" was a word they used in an attempt to legalize what they did.
- John
I think it's possible there were WMDs hidden in the desert. Or not. Not the point. Point is Saddam was never a "clear and present danger" to the US. There was NO legitimate reason for war. It was contrived, made up. GWB said he was going to remove Saddam one-two years before he became president. You KNEW he was going to use 9/11 as an excuse. If not that, he would have made up something else. But it is his contempt for the Constitution that is most concerning to me. His use of the Patriot Act against US citizens. His violation of civil rights. His misuse of the legal system. Not to mention his rape of a country and of our own financial system. His holding himself and his cronies ABOVE the LAW and the Constitution! His Orwellian legacy!
I have read there IS a committee looking into charges. I understand Obama's wish to move on, to look forward, and the very disagreeable experience of prosecution. But IF WE DO NOT PROSECUTE THESE EVIL MEN, THEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. And it is very possible the country will NOT survive another 8 years like the last 8 years.
An old country western song says "When anything goes, everything's gone!"
THESE MEN MUST be held accountable, they MUST be shown NOT to be ABOVE the law, and this country MUST be shown to hold sacred the Constitution, or everything's gone.
When I went in the Army, in 1985, all of my Drills were Vietnam Cadre - and I mean Combat Cadre.
They said we'd never have to worry about being sent into 'another Nam', because they'd never let it happen.
Now it's your turn; and I'm happy to see you step up to the task (I, by the way, got booted out due to a bum leg; so I didn't 'get to' go to the Gulf, or I'd probably be a twice served Tanker Vet).
I also know the Blackhawk Pilot who survived (versus the guy who got dragged through the streets) being shot down in Mogadeshu, and he's an interesting case.
You see; he went to Nam with the Highest ideals - utterly convinced that he'd be 'helping' the Vietnamese.
He escaped, after three tours, without a scratch.
However, by 1979 (when the Vietnam Army kicked invading Red Chinese Armies BUTT, negating the 'Fall like Dominoes' theory), he'd become convinced that he'd been used; so he came out of Retirement to engage in what he thought would be a 'Real' Humanitarian Effort, in Somalia.
Now he's in a Wheelchair after being "split up the middle" by the RPG that sent him through the windshield and rotor-blades.
I haven't seen the Good Colonel in some time; but whenever I do, I try to give him some Good Herb (FOR FREE!) to take to his Invaild Comrades at one of the VA's in-patient facilites.
It's the least I can do!
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JimRinX,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. They're quite telling.
- John
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