The following was written by an anonymous member of March
Forward!, who is currently deployed to Iraq with the U.S. Army. March
Forward! is an organization of anti-war veterans and active duty service
members. To read more statements from March Forward! click here.
A long time ago, I believed that a person who held that illustrious
and mythic title of “soldier” was worth something to the politicians in
this country. I also believed that soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines
are the protectors of the people of this country.
Now, as an
active-duty soldier currently deployed to Iraq, I realize that my
previous beliefs are false. They have been reduced to nothing on account
of our government’s true, nefarious intentions.
For our entire
lives, the United States military has been described as an institution
that is the spearhead of “democracy” and “freedom.” This notion is
something that our government has repeated over and over, while
countless lives have been lost over hidden motives for which men and
women in uniform unknowingly fight.
The U.S. military is nothing
more than an extension of security for economic interests belonging to
banks and corporate giants. These conglomerates of big name contracting
companies have invested in war zones to turn a profit, and the U.S.
government has willingly paved the way.
What the ‘end of combat’ looks like
Despite
the supposed “end of combat” in Iraq, two fellow U.S. soldiers were
killed in the USD-C region of Iraq on Jan. 2. For them and their
families, the war was not over.
On Jan. 3, the base I am
currently serving at, Forward Operating Base Kalsu, 20 miles south of
Baghdad, was rocked by fire from modified munitions. It was the heaviest
we have been hit in my entire nine months in-country. This is the “end
of combat.”
These altered munitions were tailored to fit large
containers packed with explosives. From recent intel reports, these
explosives were fabricated in the immediate area inside an abandoned
house.
These rockets decimated several areas on our base,
wounded many and caused lines outside the Combat Support Hospital
because of concussions and shrapnel injuries. At the time of the rocket
attack, I was in my room while the entire building was rocked by
explosions. The noise was deafening and stunned me for several seconds
before I stood up and took what little cover I could. I knew the
building I was in could have been shredded by the power of these
projectiles, but I was just trying to give myself some sense of
security.
Immediately after that, my team and I took cover in a
fortified bunker and listened to the continuing explosions, which lasted
for several minutes. From my position, I could see black smoke rising
from areas that held equipment and storage areas maintained regularly by
both U.S. military and civilian personnel. The damage caused by this
modified ordnance was catastrophic and destroyed ammo containers loaded
with tank rounds as well as living quarters.
Unfortunately, this
attack was not without casualties. Many U.S. troops were injured as a
result of shrapnel and concussive blasts. Two of my friends in the
immediate area of one blast were nearly killed. One was hit by shrapnel
in the leg, and the other narrowly missed being hit in the head.
This
time, these attacks did not result in any deaths, but it only leads me
to question: Why are we really still over here? Why must we be subjected
to clear and present danger over an occupation rooted in a façade? We
have been nothing but a stationary target for the rockets and IEDs,
doing nothing but maintaining an illegal occupation.
With the
deaths of two U.S. soldiers already this month, when will there be
significant action to bring us home, to stop using us as cannon fodder
for corporations? Just because the government says the war in Iraq is
over for us does not mean that we will stop being killed, wounded and
traumatized.
When will we be out of the senseless war in
Afghanistan? When will we stop occupying Iraq? This government has
shown that they will stay indefinitely. Only we can stop it.
