This is a letter I had published today in my local newspaper in Indiana. People from the region are calling me to thank me for writing this piece.

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I struggle with the reality that this illegal war of occupation waged on false pretenses has entered its sixth year, looted our economy, killed 1 million Iraqis and more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers, and was sold to Americans by the press, which failed to question the terms it was being sold to us under. But moreover, I struggle with the reality that young Americans, particularly high school students, are continuing to enlist in the military to serve and perpetuate our government's imperialist adventure in Iraq.

Under No Child Left Behind, military recruiters' access to youth is mandated. Students, who are not taught the history of U.S. involvement in Iraq, are recruited to "serve their country" without being given the information necessary to decide if their service will be just or unjust. Students who are struggling in school or living in poverty are targeted as potential recruits.

Students should look up the Winter Soldier Investigation on IVAW.Org and watch and hear what America's brave men and women who enlisted after Sept. 11, 2001, to defend America are saying about their service.

Coupled with standardized testing, military recruitment contributes to the end of the tradition of independent thinking and quality education in high school.

Authors Bio:
Kevin Gosztola is managing editor of Shadowproof Press. He also produces and co-hosts the weekly podcast, "Unauthorized Disclosure." He was an editor for OpEdNews.com