Hello Kinseeker,

You raised some very good points with your comments on my page and I can’t help but raise a few of my own in response.  While agree that different people join the army for different reasons, I have trouble understanding people who have joined the US army after the War on Terror revealed that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. 

It’s inaccurate to say that US war has not had an effect on me or anyone else on the globe.  Whether Americans like to admit it or not, their actions have far-reaching consequences on the rest of the world (for example, soaring gas prices; or economic and political pressure to join them as allies as reported in the daily media– it is natural given the fact that the US is the world’s sole remaining Superpower).

While you acknowledge that there may be various interests at stake in the US’s occupation of Iraq that does not mean that one can say that they are all proportionately equal interests (ie. the US administration is there in Iraq to get oil, which their citizens consume in greater quantities then anywhere else in the world — 90%; they are there to rid the Iraqi people of a dictator — 10%).  The US disregarded the UN and the opposition of the international community with its insistence on military action in Iraq.

When you state that the US is there to help rebuild Iraq and that the Iraqis are senselessly threatening, killing, and kidnapping their own to “liberate” themselves from Americans one should clarify which Iraqis are doing this and why.  Iraq has an ethnically and religiously diverse population and “Iraqis” may view themselves not as one nation but as “Sunni Muslims” or “Shiite Muslims” or “Kurds”, etc.  In addition, there has been a growth of foreign influences (ie. “freedom fighters” — Afganis, Pakistanis, North Americans, etc who have come to Iraq and acted as insurgents as well for their own varied interests).  The threats, killings, and kidnappings may be by different groups for different reasons not simply the liberation of Iraqis from the Americans…perhaps their using Iraqis as human ammunition against the Americans (ie. the greater the death poll and instability the worse off the US appears on the world stage).

As for puppet government:  the key people of the Iraqi democratic government were handpicked and supported by the current American administration.  In addition, the US has had a history of tearing down unfavourable regimes and setting up other ones (as well as propping them up for as long as it’s beneficial).  Abu Ghraib ran by Americans…not by the Iraqi government. I don’t mean to raise the spectre of that debacle to cast a shadow on all American soldiers but that is an utter disgrace that I think anyone in the military should reflect on.  Being there for your buddy is one thing, but going hog wild with buddies without restraint in a foreign country is another.  Where does one draw the line and say no, “I will not do this” even if I’ve been ordered to by a superior?

I’m from a peaceful country — and I enjoy my freedom just fine.  By the way, my country has a very little military.

Thanks for your thoughts, I hope mine shed some more light on my position.

ryc:

Thanks for your thoughts on my page — I appreciate the points raised, it’s made me reflect a little more on the topic at hand. 

1.  The correlation of not finding WMD and joining the US army after that discovery – I think I phrased my point badly before — by the time the world knew 100% that there were no WMD in Iraq, the US military had already been in Iraq and I suppose people would have joined the army before they knew that the US had made such a huge mistake.  However, it was evident early on that the American administration was gung-ho on military action, the days kept unfolding with speeches and commentary about how Saddam Hussein had to be stopped, for months there was widespread speculation that war was imminent.  During this before the occupation of Iraq there was also a lot of debate about whether the US was acting illegally under International law (i.e. this argument that they had to make a “pre-emptive strike” to defend themselves…whereas under International law there is no such thing…in addition, while the US is part of the UN it refused to get the sanction of the Security Council).  So I guess you can say — there was serious doubt about whether the US was going to Iraq to engage in an illegal war and soldiers that joined the military at that point in time — how could they have justifiably done so?  While each individual has the right to make their own decisions, I wonder at their rationalization — it was a choice to enter the military to defend God and Country — but how do you make such a decision when there’s some serious doubt that you’re signing yourself up to fight in an illegal war? 

2. For those that signed up before then, you’re right — there is a contract with the government, and an obligation to go where you are sent.  I guess my commentary went a bit off-topic when I mentioned Abu Ghraib.  There’s obviously two different kinds of obligations.  ie. the first being that you’ve joined the army and are sworn to follow legal orders vs. illegal orders.

3.  I don’t think I follow the comment you made about WMD probably being biological/chemical and being hidden somewhere.  They had satellite pictures of the whole country.  Why are you so sure that there are still weapons (WMD that are biological/chemical?) hidden somewhere that the US hasn’t found yet?  Surely after being there for 4 years, the US would have found what they were looking for if they had been looking…it’s not as if they haven’t had enough time (and surely there would have been an incentive to look hard for such weapons so as to justify to the world that their actions were necessary).

4. As for the US’s actions affecting me on a personal level – they have.  They’ve affected ordinary people outside America or Iraq in a profound way and on a personal level.  For example, the constant barrage of “security threats” and terrorism emanating from the US have increased racism worldwide.  In Canada you may have heard of Maher Arar.  He was a Muslim Man who was on a stopover flight to New York when he was seized by the CIA and put on a plane to Syria for being a suspected terrorist.  After being tortured for over a year and finally returned to Canada it was discovered that he had no links to Al Qaeda or any other terrorist organization and that it had just been a “mistake”.  Muslims around the world have been the subject of hate crime and statistics show that it has been on the rise in recent years given the countries that make up the Axis of Evil and the US’s emphasis on how Islam  creates terrorists (or, for those that are more specific how fundamentalism in Islam has led to certain insanity).

5.  You mentioned you avoid the news now.  Sometimes I get tired of reading it myself.  The world seems to be going apocalyptic and its problems seem so crushing at times.  The problem is so big, this War on Terror doesn’t really have any end in sight (how does one win it by the way??).  It’s all so tiresome and sad. The only ones winning are those that can fear monger to stay in power…we *need* them don’t we to keep us safe…or so the song and dance goes.

6.  Good point about 9/11 and its link to the occupation of Iraq.  I think that American’s are more critical and that 9/11 let the US administration get away with alot that it wouldn’t normally have gotten away with.  Even the US media just rolled over for the administration and lapped up whatever the White House decided to give as their press release.  I can’t remember which paper it was (The New York Times?) that issued a public apology for its lack of objectivity on the War on Terror/Iraq.  But I guess my only argument would be: it’s 2007.  How long will they be able to fall back on 9/11 to lead their country into war for the natural resources of another?

7.  I agree that the insurgents in Iraq that engage in blowing up buses in marketplaces and beheading people are absolutely messed up.  They’re nihilistic.  When you’re willing to kill for something other than an act in self-defence it seems totally unjustifiable to me.

8.  It’s sad that those engaged in the abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanomo Bay were not held accountable.  I don’t believe pinning it on the lowest rank soldier and treating it as an ‘isolated incident’ is really addressing the problem.  That stuff doesn’t go on without Superiors being aware of it.  Even if they didn’t order it (which I doubt), they must have been lax in monitoring conditions.  Shit like that just doesn’t happen with no one being the wiser.  I dont’ think the penalty given by military tribunals reflect the severity of the crime either.  While its true that conditions in war are quite different than a civilian might face — the situation at Abu Ghraib or Guantanomo regarded soldiers treatment of prisoners of war on “safe ground” so to speak (ie. the prisons were on land that was under US control).  It wasn’t exactly the “heat of battle”….

9.  I admit there may be mob mentality of anti-US sentiment.  In Canada there may be a bit of resentment in how much influence the US has over our economics and politics.  I think that the US’s actions have provided a lot of material for other country’s to be critical about though.  So maybe it’s a little bit of both.  The US has its finger in every pie — but I guess as you pointed out, the US’s national interest is all over the world, and I suppose if any other country was a superpower it would be interventionist where its advantage lies…

Thanks for the food for thought.  You really made me think.