We veterans know that this war is not the one being sanitized on the nightly news. It has nothing to do with the liberation of the people of Iraq; instead it has everything to do with the subjugation and domination of these people in the name of U.S. imperial economic and strategic interests: Corp Matt Howard, U.S. Marine Corps
The only ones who can stop this needless and illegal war and occupation of Iraq are the soldiers themselves ~ who will eventually get tired of being unappreciated cannon fodder for Cheney & Bush's global neocon pipe dream and will lay down their arms and morally refuse to commit genocide and murder under the guise of liberty and freedom.
As a result of the psychic damage of the illegal war and occupation of Iraq ~ the US military is experiencing a "suicide epidemic" with veterans killing themselves at the rate of 120 a week, according to an investigation by US television network CBS. At least 6256 US veterans committed suicide in 2005 ~ an average of 17 a day ~ the network reported, with veterans overall more than twice as likely to take their own lives as the rest of the general population.
That day is drawing close at hand as Veterans like Matt Howard speak their truth that the Iraq war is a betrayal of American democracy.
Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2007/11/16.html
Iraq War Is A Betrayal Of American Democracy
By Matt Howard
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18718.htm
Editor's note: Matt Howard gave this statement at a recent protest at the Statehouse.
11/14/07 "Rutland Herald" -- - -In 2003 I illegally invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq with 1st Tank battalion 1st Marine Division.
My commander in chief unleashed the world's fiercest fighting force upon the country and people of Iraq, and now those of us used and betrayed by him are demanding justice.
Four and a half years after our opening "shock and awe" Bush's lies are known throughout the world, and yet he continues to act with impunity. Four and a half years later the Bush regime has unleashed a hell upon the country of Iraq that only those who have been there can truly understand.
As a two-tour combat veteran of this brutal war, I have a responsibility to speak honestly and openly about what has been done and what continues to be done in our name. We veterans know that this war is not the one being sanitized on the nightly news. It has nothing to do with the liberation of the people of Iraq; instead it has everything to do with the subjugation and domination of these people in the name of U.S. imperial economic and strategic interests.
We did not go to war with the country of Iraq, we went to war with the people of Iraq. During the initial invasion we killed women. We killed children. We senselessly killed farm animals. We were the United States Marine Corps, not the Peace Corps, and we left a swath of death and destruction in our wake all the way to Baghdad.
Let me say again so that there is no misunderstanding. I stand here today as a former U.S. Marine saying we are killing women and children in Iraq. This is the true nature of war. War lends itself to atrocities. Don't think you can use an organization designed to kill other human beings for anything humanitarian. That has never been our mission. That was crystal clear from the moment I was forced to bury the crate of humanitarian food given to me in Kuwait.
Four and a half years later we as soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are done. We are done being told under threat of court martial to run over children that get in the way of our speeding convoys.
