Soldiers' Words

Everybody and his dog seems to be blogging today's Washington Post story about US troop morale in Iraq. The article shows 48 blog links, about double the number when I saw the story a few hours ago. I guess I'm number 49 (or higher by the time I finish writing).

The story speaks for itself and reminds me all too much of fighting in Vietnam when I was there during the final stages of US combat in that country. Their words now sound pretty much like mine 35 years ago.

"It sucks. Honestly, it just feels like we're driving around waiting to get blown up. That's the most honest answer I could give you," said Spec. Tim Ivey, 28, of San Antonio, a muscular former backup fullback for Baylor University. "You lose a couple friends and it gets hard."

"No one wants to be here, you know, no one is truly enthused about what we do," said Sgt. Christopher Dugger, the squad leader. "We were excited, but then it just wears on you -- there's only so much you can take. Like me, personally, I want to fight in a war like World War II. I want to fight an enemy. And this, out here," he said, motioning around the scorched sand-and-gravel base, the rows of Humvees and barracks, toward the trash-strewn streets of Baghdad outside, "there is no enemy, it's a faceless enemy. He's out there, but he's hiding."

It's hard to say how general these sentiments are among American forces. I know from reading the memoirs of Iraq veterans and meeting some of them that they want very much to find some meaning in their sacrifice. It's only natural. In combat, you do things that would be criminal in any other setting. The justification is that those actions are necessary to protect your country. But Iraq has been a star-crossed enterprise from Day One. The lies that led the US into the war now rob the the value from Americans' service and sacrifice.

Recognizing that your sacrifice was for little or nothing is far from easy . Look at all the Vietnam veterans that still think they were robbed of a victory by anti-war demonstrators and the press when in fact it was American politicians and generals who sent them on a hopeless mission that had more to do with the leaders' egos and misreading of the conflict in Vietnam. Even I, who never saw my service as anything but a waste, still find that it weighs heavy on my mind.

Iraq is not Vietnam, we are constantly told. That's true. Iraq is much hotter. But when it comes to the waste of Americans' sacrifice and service, it is all too much like Vietnam. No doubt in 35 years, Iraq veterans will still be debating the value of their sacrifice.

In the meantime, all I can say is that the individual sacrifices of American troops in Iraq are courageous and honorable. The dishonor and shame belongs to the war's architects.