Petrelis Files

Stars & Stripes: Iraq War Based on a Lie

There is speaking truth to power, and then there is this letter that appeared earlier in the week in the quasi-independent Stars & Stripes newspaper.

Would be great to know how many other American soldiers serving in Iraq feel similarly. My gut instinct is to say quite a high number of soldiers, particularly those on their second or third tours of Iraq, probably agree with these sentiments, but don't send letters to either military or mainstream publications or speak their opinions too loudly.

Sure, this letter generated responses from soldiers who didn't like the truths spoken in it, but I suspect even those writers might privately concur that there are hard kernels of honesty in the letter that can't be ignored. Read the responses at this link.

I have to read this newspaper more often, if only to learn how frequently the views of troops on the ground who oppose or question the Bush administration's make it into print.

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November 28, 2005
Stars & Stripes
Letters to the Editor

War based on a lie

Weapons of mass destruction? I’m still looking for them, and if you find any give me a call so we can justify our presence in Iraq. We started the war based on a lie, and we’ll finish it based on a lie. I say this because I am currently serving with a logistics headquarters in the Anbar province, between the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. I am not fooled by the constant fabrication of “democracy” and “freedom” touted by our leadership at home and overseas.

This deception is furthered by our armed forces’ belief that we can just enter ancient Mesopotamia and tell the locals about the benefits of a legislative assembly. While our European ancestors were hanging from trees, these ancient people were writing algebra and solving quadratic equations. Now we feel compelled to strong-arm them into accepting the spoils of capitalism and “laissez-faire” society. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching Britney Spears on MTV and driving to McDonald’s, but do you honestly believe that Sunnis, Shias and Kurds want our Western ideas of entertainment and freedom imposed on them? Think again.

I’m not being negative, I’m being realistic. The reality in Iraq is that the United States created a nightmare situation where one didn’t exist. Yes, Saddam Hussein was an evil man who lied, cheated and pillaged his own nation. But how was he different from dictators in Africa who commit massive crimes again humanity with little repercussion and sometimes support from the West? The bottom line up front (BLUF to use a military acronym) is that Saddam was different because we used him as an excuse to go to war to make Americans “feel good” about the “War on Terrorism.” The BLUF is that our ultimate goal in 2003 was the security of Israel and the lucrative oil fields in northern and southern Iraq.

Weapons of mass destruction? Call me when you find them. In the meantime, “bring ’em on” so we can get our “mission accomplished” and get out of this mess.

Capt. Jeff Pirozzi
Camp Taqaddum, Iraq