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| Whispers, regrets and re-deployment: 10 Iraq war veterans on the Isis effect | Whispers, regrets and re-deployment: 10 Iraq war veterans on the Isis effect |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| American troops are going back to Iraq, and American troops are – to say the least – conflicted. On Facebook and on these pages, veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the surge that followed are at turns guilty and bitter, hopeful and hate-filled. | American troops are going back to Iraq, and American troops are – to say the least – conflicted. On Facebook and on these pages, veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the surge that followed are at turns guilty and bitter, hopeful and hate-filled. |
| As Isis (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) charged south toward Baghdad with bloodshed and alleged massacre anew, we asked for every mixed emotion, and we received responses of a common thread: these are US soldiers and Marines worried that a war was fought in vain – certainly, that too many lives were lost; possibly, that they would go back once again. | As Isis (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) charged south toward Baghdad with bloodshed and alleged massacre anew, we asked for every mixed emotion, and we received responses of a common thread: these are US soldiers and Marines worried that a war was fought in vain – certainly, that too many lives were lost; possibly, that they would go back once again. |
| Did our troops see the sectarian violence coming? Is this renewed episode anyone's fault but that of politicians? And is there anything left to do but hope it all goes away? The answers, as usual, are complex, but they are more illuminating than anything you will hear from a foreign-policy wonk between now and whenever President Obama decides about those air strikes. | Did our troops see the sectarian violence coming? Is this renewed episode anyone's fault but that of politicians? And is there anything left to do but hope it all goes away? The answers, as usual, are complex, but they are more illuminating than anything you will hear from a foreign-policy wonk between now and whenever President Obama decides about those air strikes. |
| To make sense of the unfolding chaos in Iraq from the men and women who have served there, we enlisted our friends at Whisper, the secret-sharing app you should download right now for its powers of truth-telling. Among the thousands of active and former service members who use the service regularly, the conversations below represent mere extrapolations from a community so actively engaged in a war's legacy in the making that it is almost impossible to calculate. But the emotions remain impossible to ignore. | To make sense of the unfolding chaos in Iraq from the men and women who have served there, we enlisted our friends at Whisper, the secret-sharing app you should download right now for its powers of truth-telling. Among the thousands of active and former service members who use the service regularly, the conversations below represent mere extrapolations from a community so actively engaged in a war's legacy in the making that it is almost impossible to calculate. But the emotions remain impossible to ignore. |
| Isis and stasis: 'We owe them more than that' | Isis and stasis: 'We owe them more than that' |
| Adam, US Army Sergeant, stationed in Iraq 2006-2007; honorably discharged in 2009: | Adam, US Army Sergeant, stationed in Iraq 2006-2007; honorably discharged in 2009: |
| I | I |
| hate what is going on right now: Every time Isis takes a city, it's heartbreaking. Basically at this point, I feel like it wasn't worth it. My friends died in vain. Died for nothing. | hate what is going on right now: Every time Isis takes a city, it's heartbreaking. Basically at this point, I feel like it wasn't worth it. My friends died in vain. Died for nothing. |
| I would go back in a | I would go back in a |
| heartbeat given the chance, even though it would likely cost me my | heartbeat given the chance, even though it would likely cost me my |
| marriage. I don't like combat – the | marriage. I don't like combat – the |
| fighting was house-to-house, close quarters, and just dirty, nasty warfare – but | fighting was house-to-house, close quarters, and just dirty, nasty warfare – but |
| I'm invested in that country. We left them with an unstable government and a half-trained army – we owe them more than that. | I'm invested in that country. We left them with an unstable government and a half-trained army – we owe them more than that. |
| When | When |
| we withdrew, I thought it was a mistake. There wasn't just one group of enemies – there were several. I mean, there were guys coming from Syria and other countries to fight their jihad, and seeing the Sunni v Shi'ite conflict first-hand – assassinations, kidnappings – made it hard to be hopeful. I didn't believe the Iraqi | we withdrew, I thought it was a mistake. There wasn't just one group of enemies – there were several. I mean, there were guys coming from Syria and other countries to fight their jihad, and seeing the Sunni v Shi'ite conflict first-hand – assassinations, kidnappings – made it hard to be hopeful. I didn't believe the Iraqi |
| army was capable of fending off future insurgents and I didn't think the | army was capable of fending off future insurgents and I didn't think the |
| government was competent enough to run the country. And I hate to say it, but I | government was competent enough to run the country. And I hate to say it, but I |
| was right. | was right. |
| Three of my friends died over there. One of them was my best friend who grew up down the street from me, and I spoke with his | Three of my friends died over there. One of them was my best friend who grew up down the street from me, and I spoke with his |
| sister earlier this week. We were talking about the recent events in Iraq and | sister earlier this week. We were talking about the recent events in Iraq and |
| she asked me what Chris died for: What was the purpose? | she asked me what Chris died for: What was the purpose? |
| I told her, "I | I told her, "I |
| don't know." I hate that. And, yes, I do believe the US should get involved – I | don't know." I hate that. And, yes, I do believe the US should get involved – I |
| don't think we should have ever gotten uninvolved. We owe it to the Iraqi | don't think we should have ever gotten uninvolved. We owe it to the Iraqi |
| people and to our honored dead to see this through. | people and to our honored dead to see this through. |
| Spencer Clark, US Army sergeant combat engineer, stationed in Iraq, 2007: | Spencer Clark, US Army sergeant combat engineer, stationed in Iraq, 2007: |
| I had no idea that any sectarian violence would arrive in the future. I served during the "surge", and many advances were made during that time, such as paying locals to help defend their streets. They seemed adamant about keeping their neighborhoods safe and, on many occasions, would inform us when dangers were in the area. | I had no idea that any sectarian violence would arrive in the future. I served during the "surge", and many advances were made during that time, such as paying locals to help defend their streets. They seemed adamant about keeping their neighborhoods safe and, on many occasions, would inform us when dangers were in the area. |
| I legitimately would have felt safe driving a motorcycle on some of those streets while I was there. I also felt as if I was part of a conflict that we had somewhat won – and it was a great feeling. | I legitimately would have felt safe driving a motorcycle on some of those streets while I was there. I also felt as if I was part of a conflict that we had somewhat won – and it was a great feeling. |
| Now, seeing the turmoil that has erupted, and the very streets I used to patrol are in the hands of murdering extremists, yes, I feel as if our lives and efforts were in vain. | Now, seeing the turmoil that has erupted, and the very streets I used to patrol are in the hands of murdering extremists, yes, I feel as if our lives and efforts were in vain. |
| Steve Kregal, US Marines hospital corpsman, stationed in Al-Anbar province, 2007 and 2009: | Steve Kregal, US Marines hospital corpsman, stationed in Al-Anbar province, 2007 and 2009: |
| Most days I napped in the truck as we rolled around the highways, but where was the outrage over how we came to this point? If the American media paid half as much attention as they did to Benghazi, we could prevent these fool's errands. | Most days I napped in the truck as we rolled around the highways, but where was the outrage over how we came to this point? If the American media paid half as much attention as they did to Benghazi, we could prevent these fool's errands. |
| Training and re-training: 'The only way to fix Iraq is to change the culture' | Training and re-training: 'The only way to fix Iraq is to change the culture' |
| Brian Crowl, Marine Corps sergeant, stationed in Iraq, 2004: | Brian Crowl, Marine Corps sergeant, stationed in Iraq, 2004: |
| I trained the new Iraqi army at Kirkush Military Training Base. I was disturbed that, after the first few classes, we learned that 46% of the soldiers went on to their next duty station. That came from the various bases and what they had reported to the embassy in Baghdad. | I trained the new Iraqi army at Kirkush Military Training Base. I was disturbed that, after the first few classes, we learned that 46% of the soldiers went on to their next duty station. That came from the various bases and what they had reported to the embassy in Baghdad. |
| Would they fight for their family? Their sect? Or would they take the Army's basic training and fight against American forces? | Would they fight for their family? Their sect? Or would they take the Army's basic training and fight against American forces? |
| I think they have done a little of each, and I think now some are part of Isis. This may be speculative, but I do not doubt that some wound up there or are doing some sort of bad in the country. | I think they have done a little of each, and I think now some are part of Isis. This may be speculative, but I do not doubt that some wound up there or are doing some sort of bad in the country. |
| Tom Fenwick, US Army National Guard sergeant, stationed in Iraq, 2005: | Tom Fenwick, US Army National Guard sergeant, stationed in Iraq, 2005: |
| The majority of me feels that I did not waste my time. I was outside "the wire" daily – our job was to travel out into the city to Iraqi police stations and train them how to some day take over for us – and I spoke with Iraqi civilians, and I looked them in the eye as they thanked us for being there in Baghdad or Sadr City. I know what we were doing was right, in order to even give them a chance. The way the pullout was handled, however, truly makes me feel like it was all in vain. | The majority of me feels that I did not waste my time. I was outside "the wire" daily – our job was to travel out into the city to Iraqi police stations and train them how to some day take over for us – and I spoke with Iraqi civilians, and I looked them in the eye as they thanked us for being there in Baghdad or Sadr City. I know what we were doing was right, in order to even give them a chance. The way the pullout was handled, however, truly makes me feel like it was all in vain. |
| I think we all knew that as soon as we left, the country would revert back to how it has always been. The people of Iraq are powerless and have been trampled on so much that they have no desire to make a change. They all want it, but they want it done for them. Even the Iraqi police and Iraqi army soldiers that we trained were corrupt: we would bring them new ammo for their service pistols, and when we would do a well-being check a week later we'd find they had sold all of our new ammo and bought cheap, ineffective, Russian re-load ammo for their firearms instead. | I think we all knew that as soon as we left, the country would revert back to how it has always been. The people of Iraq are powerless and have been trampled on so much that they have no desire to make a change. They all want it, but they want it done for them. Even the Iraqi police and Iraqi army soldiers that we trained were corrupt: we would bring them new ammo for their service pistols, and when we would do a well-being check a week later we'd find they had sold all of our new ammo and bought cheap, ineffective, Russian re-load ammo for their firearms instead. |
| The only way to fix Iraq is to change the culture, foster a sense of freedom and ability to achieve – or else the people will never care enough to change. | The only way to fix Iraq is to change the culture, foster a sense of freedom and ability to achieve – or else the people will never care enough to change. |
| But this is a tricky question. I don't think we can get involved without some long-term plan in place. We can't simply drop a few missiles and expect the world to be a cheerful place. | But this is a tricky question. I don't think we can get involved without some long-term plan in place. We can't simply drop a few missiles and expect the world to be a cheerful place. |
| Sectarian security: 'Politics got in the way. I would go back' | Sectarian security: 'Politics got in the way. I would go back' |
| Dustin DeBord, US Army specialist, stationed in Tikrit, 2009-2010: | Dustin DeBord, US Army specialist, stationed in Tikrit, 2009-2010: |
| It | It |
| wasn't a waste. We went in and created an environment in which | wasn't a waste. We went in and created an environment in which |
| the Iraqi people were able to establish a government – in which they were able to | the Iraqi people were able to establish a government – in which they were able to |
| be free and not controlled. Unfortunately, the fledgling government had not yet established | be free and not controlled. Unfortunately, the fledgling government had not yet established |
| itself well enough to deal with a situation like this. Had | itself well enough to deal with a situation like this. Had |
| we remained a few more years, I don't believe this would have happened. | we remained a few more years, I don't believe this would have happened. |
| It was always in the court of the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police. They would ultimately be responsible for the | It was always in the court of the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police. They would ultimately be responsible for the |
| security of their country, although I could see a difference from the time that | security of their country, although I could see a difference from the time that |
| we arrived until the time we left. When they withdrew combat forces, I wasn't | we arrived until the time we left. When they withdrew combat forces, I wasn't |
| too terribly uncomfortable with it even though many of us volunteered to stay with | too terribly uncomfortable with it even though many of us volunteered to stay with |
| other units. We felt almost as if we hadn't done enough – or maybe more that our | other units. We felt almost as if we hadn't done enough – or maybe more that our |
| mission wasn't completed. | mission wasn't completed. |
| But, no, my time was not wasted. For all the crap | But, no, my time was not wasted. For all the crap |
| that we had to do and go through, we made a difference – politics got in the way. | that we had to do and go through, we made a difference – politics got in the way. |
| My discharge was a few weeks ago – | My discharge was a few weeks ago – |
| I've tried finding work with no luck. ... | I've tried finding work with no luck. ... |
| I would go back. If I wake up in the morning, | I would go back. If I wake up in the morning, |
| turn on the TV and find out the administration has authorized boots on the | turn on the TV and find out the administration has authorized boots on the |
| ground, I'll go running to re-enlist. | ground, I'll go running to re-enlist. |
| Bernadette Fruge, US Army specialist, stationed in Al Diwaniyah: | Bernadette Fruge, US Army specialist, stationed in Al Diwaniyah: |
| Iraq should be three separate countries. I knew this before I went, going there confirmed it, and these latest events are to be expected. | Iraq should be three separate countries. I knew this before I went, going there confirmed it, and these latest events are to be expected. |
| The Shia people there had a true hatred for Saddam Hussein, so they treated us as liberators. This story has never been told ... but the media never had the stomach, the brain or the heart to cover Iraq correctly. | The Shia people there had a true hatred for Saddam Hussein, so they treated us as liberators. This story has never been told ... but the media never had the stomach, the brain or the heart to cover Iraq correctly. |
| Returning and striking: 'Obama shouldn't be making any more big-time military decisions' | Returning and striking: 'Obama shouldn't be making any more big-time military decisions' |
| Jason, enlisted US Marines, stationed in Iraq, 2008-2009: | |
| I'm | I'm |
| not having the anger that a lot of people are, because the | not having the anger that a lot of people are, because the |
| outcome would be the same. | outcome would be the same. |
| I went in 2008 on orders. If we never sent troops in, it could have been worse. I just would not be the one volunteering to deploy | I went in 2008 on orders. If we never sent troops in, it could have been worse. I just would not be the one volunteering to deploy |
| back. [Iraq is] more of a shithole than Afghanistan, in my opinion – and we have greater interests in Afghanistan than we | back. [Iraq is] more of a shithole than Afghanistan, in my opinion – and we have greater interests in Afghanistan than we |
| did in Iraq. | did in Iraq. |
| I | I |
| don't think Obama should be making any more big-time military decisions. The | don't think Obama should be making any more big-time military decisions. The |
| conflict has run through two presidents, so you can't really expect Obama to | conflict has run through two presidents, so you can't really expect Obama to |
| necessarily follow in Bush's footsteps. I think we should have stayed longer in | necessarily follow in Bush's footsteps. I think we should have stayed longer in |
| the first place, and continuing to intervene will only further drain the | the first place, and continuing to intervene will only further drain the |
| country's finances. | country's finances. |
| The most important thing Americans need | The most important thing Americans need |
| to remember is that politics are behind everything. They get mad at the troops | to remember is that politics are behind everything. They get mad at the troops |
| and fail to realize that someone else is running the show. We just carry out | and fail to realize that someone else is running the show. We just carry out |
| the orders. | the orders. |
| Michael James: | Michael James: |
| We needed to have support troops there for approximately five to 10 years, but uou cannot change culture and pride of the people within such a short window. Make no mistake about this: we are going to have to go back in there someday. | We needed to have support troops there for approximately five to 10 years, but uou cannot change culture and pride of the people within such a short window. Make no mistake about this: we are going to have to go back in there someday. |
| But I didn't waste my time, because when you are there, you understand the overall larger picture. When you see men feeling that they have a right to hang children – to rape and beat women – you realize the level of evil you're dealing with. That evil will not allow itself to be contained to their country. | But I didn't waste my time, because when you are there, you understand the overall larger picture. When you see men feeling that they have a right to hang children – to rape and beat women – you realize the level of evil you're dealing with. That evil will not allow itself to be contained to their country. |
| The key answer is drones and massive air attacks via drones. I happen to agree with our president about not sending troops. They are needed, but not under the political cloud under which this government operates. More lives should not be wasted or crippled along with their families due to political infighting and a lack of leadership. But to do nothing is a great sign of weakness. | The key answer is drones and massive air attacks via drones. I happen to agree with our president about not sending troops. They are needed, but not under the political cloud under which this government operates. More lives should not be wasted or crippled along with their families due to political infighting and a lack of leadership. But to do nothing is a great sign of weakness. |
| 'Riyan', recently enlisted: | 'Riyan', recently enlisted: |
| It's kind of freaking me out because I just enlisted. My girlfriend is so nervous. | It's kind of freaking me out because I just enlisted. My girlfriend is so nervous. |
| I leave Monday morning for [training] at Fort Benning. I knew eventually it would happen. | I leave Monday morning for [training] at Fort Benning. I knew eventually it would happen. |
| I'd rather not be [deployed], but if it happens I'll be ready, willing and able. | I'd rather not be [deployed], but if it happens I'll be ready, willing and able. |