A closer look: Former soldiers discuss U.S. occupation of Iraq
By Colleen Honigsberg
Nov. 11, 2003 9:00 p.m.
American veterans have opinions that vary just as much as the
general population when talking about whether U.S. soldiers should
return home from Iraq for their safety and when discussing
Operation Iraqi Freedom in general.Â
Most veterans, like most Americans, seem to think U.S. forces
should remain in Iraq, even though the soldiers are at risk.
Calvin Peterson, who served in the Armed Special Forces as a
Green Beret for 20 years and fought in Vietnam, said the United
States should remain in Iraq until democracy and freedom are
established.
“We’re winning the war. … We should stay 10 years
if we have to,” he said. “Once freedom catches on, the
opposition is going to fall.”
For those who disagree with Peterson, he said he is happy to
debate the issues.
“I’ll take them on,” he said.
Tom Friedman, a fellow Vietnam War veteran, agreed that the
United States should install democracy in Iraq.
“I hope that they do what they set out to do,” he
said.Â
Though he did not initially support the war, Friedman said more
troops should be sent to Iraq at this stage rather than bringing
them home.
With more troops, he said, democracy will be established
sooner.
However, Korean War veteran William Slattery disagreed with the
notion that the United States should stay in Iraq.
“I don’t know what we’re doing there. We
should leave,” he said. “I support the troops for their
own safety.”
Peterson said future trouble will result if the United States is
unable to establish a firm democracy in Iraq.
Referring to the 1991 Persian Gulf War and World War I, Peterson
noted the problems a poorly completed resolution in Iraq may bring,
adding that he hopes this time the United States will fulfill
objectives thoroughly.
Peterson, like many, said conflict would have been avoided had
Saddam Hussein been killed in 1991.
In general, he said the United States does not resolve its wars
well.
“Everything this country does is half-assed,” he
said.
Slattery, however, said he suspects the government may be
staying in Iraq to find wealth in the form of minerals or other
natural resources.
“What reason do we have to stay there unless it is to find
wealth?” he said.
Slattery is not the only veteran skeptical of U.S. motives for
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Korean War veteran Paul R. Bauer also said he thinks the United
States has an interest in Iraq’s natural resources,
particularly oil.
“It’s a political sham,” he said of the
war.
“The president has a view that the (United States) and
democracy are the saviors of the world, which is crap,” he
added.
Tommy Masi, a World War II veteran, said President Bush rushed
America into the war and the situation could have been handled
better.
“It’s like a family feud,” he said, referring
to both Bush presidencies and their conflicts with Hussein.
Bauer added that while a veteran’s heart “goes out
to the guys on the ground,” he said the safety of the troops
is not reason enough to pull out of Iraq.
And Peterson noted that the number of casualties in the Vietnam
War was much higher than the current number of casualties in
Iraq.
