Voices from war
Veterans who served in Iraq can offer insights into the psychological impact of waging war - but leave us wondering if abuses are inevitable
Leila Nathoo | March 19, 2008
Last weekend a historic event occurred near Washington DC, when the Iraq Veterans Against the War group held its event, "Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan - eyewitness accounts from the occupations". The four-day conference brought together veterans from across the US to speak about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, just as the original Winter Soldiers of 1971 told their stories about what they had witnessed in Vietnam.
Today's veterans spoke candidly about the treatment of civilians, insurgents and detainees. "The Iraqi people ... they were 'hajjis' ... We were the law, there was no one else above us," said Iraq veteran Hart Viges. Another, Mike Totten, agreed: "We were told, the hajji are an obstacle - do not let them get in our way". Some offered solemn admissions of their own racism and complicity in humiliation, abuse and killing. This self-criticism actually makes such soldier testimony more powerful, as young American patriots speaking candidly have far more impact than nameless, foreign victims of abuse, trying to make their voices heard.
These testimonies are invaluable, in part because they confirm the brutality of warfare, as well as allowing the soldiers to relieve the burden of their experiences and re-establish their humanity. But the crucial purpose of soldier testimony is to provide a unique perspective on abuses in war. Soldiers bridge the divide between the military establishment, who isolate individual perpetrators as "bad apples", and human rights advocates who speak up for victims. Listening to the voices of soldiers refocuses attention on the context in which abuse is carried out and the institutional details that facilitate its occurrence.
After all, wars require soldiers to fight them. Wars are inherently violent, and involve one human being killing another, albeit sometimes indirectly. Racism and dehumanisation of the enemy - who is not easily identifiable in an era of unconventional, urban warfare - is a strategy which enables soldiers to kill. According to Viges, "once you really open your eyes and see them as a human being on the same level as you ... you can't go to war with them, you can't pull the trigger ... you can't occupy a foreign land, it's impossible. So you have to dehumanise. That's war."
And this dehumanisation begins within the military itself. Scott Camil, a Vietnam veteran and pioneer of the original Winter Soldier project, says of his training in the US Marines: "You're a maggot, you're a piece of shit ... you are nothing, you are really nothing. They talk about your mom, they talk about your girlfriend. They push every button they can because they are breaking you down so they can build you up."
Another Iraq veteran, Bryan Casler, argued that when a soldier's comrades are harmed in fighting, everything changes: "Once you start seeing your buddies killed ... you're going to be ruthless." Moreover, in modern warfare, soldiers are killed by faceless devices placed by unseen hands, which compounded the sense of injustice: "What happens is you see your buddies going down, and you don't have anyone to get for it, and the first opportunity you get to take it out on someone, they're fucked."
All the veterans emphasised that "moral slippery slopes have to go from top to bottom", and that if their superiors did not condone abusive behaviour, then they did nothing to stop it. There was also the sense that because of their loyalty to their colleagues, soldiers were willing to suppress or censor their own views. Jason Hurd, who served as a medic in Baghdad, admits that no one wanted to be the soldier who "screwed over your buddy who was trying to watch your back and take care of you, and so nothing gets said."
Little wonder that there is silence surrounding abusive behaviour by members of the military, if we consider that soldiers are dehumanised themselves as a requirement to fulfil their duty during war. Hurd says: "I would not even deal with it. If I started thinking about all these things and all the moral repercussions, I would go into a deep depression."
This almost leaves us with a pessimistic view that so long as there is war, there will be soldiers who are trained and treated to behave that way, in order to enable them to fight. Is "humane war" a contradiction in terms?
Even if we do not accept pacifism as a solution to abuse, we should appreciate that soldiers, in revealing their own humanity through documenting their thoughts and experiences, give us an unparalleled insight into the absence of humanity during war.
Showing posts with label Winter Soldier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter Soldier. Show all posts
WaPo : War Stories Echo an Earlier Winter
Saturday, March 15, 2008
War Stories Echo an Earlier Winter
By Steve Vogel | Washington Post Staff Writer | Saturday, March 15, 2008; B01
Grim-faced and sorrowful, former soldiers and Marines sat before an audience of several hundred yesterday in Silver Spring and shared their recollections of their service in Iraq.
The stories spilled out, sometimes haltingly, sometimes in a rush: soldiers firing indiscriminately on Iraqi vehicles, an apartment building filled with Iraqi families devastated by an American gunship. Some descriptions were agonized, some vague; others offered specific dates and locations. All were recorded and streamed live to the Web.
The four-day event, "Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan -- Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations," is sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War and is expected to draw more than 200 veterans of the two wars through tomorrow. Timed for the eve of the fifth anniversary of the war's start next week, organizers hope the soldiers' accounts will galvanize public opposition.
For some of the veterans speaking yesterday, the experience was catharsis.
Former Marine Jon Turner began his presentation by ripping his service medals off his shirt and tossing them into the first row. He then narrated a series of graphic photographs showing bloody victims and destruction, bringing gasps from the audience. In a matter-of-fact voice, he described episodes in which he and fellow Marines shot people out of fear or retribution.
"I'm sorry for the hate and destruction I've inflicted upon innocent people," Turner said. "Until people hear about what is happening in this war, it will continue."
Winter Soldier is modeled after a well-known and controversial 1971 gathering of the same name at which veterans of the Vietnam War gathered to describe alleged atrocities. John Kerry, then a young veteran, spoke at the Detroit event, which brought him to prominence. The soldiers' claims sparked lasting enmity, which resurfaced during Kerry's run for president in 2004.
The 2008 Winter Soldier will probably be no different. The event drew dozens of counter-protesters who were kept from the conference site at the National Labor College by a contingent of Montgomery County police. Although entrance to the event was limited to participants and the media, one protester managed to slip in and walked toward the stage, interrupting a speaker.
"Kerry lied while good men died, and you guys are betraying good men," the man yelled. The protester was roughly hustled from the room by several men in red knit shirts and jeans -- members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, who are providing security for the event.
Counter-protesters outside derided the event and were deeply skeptical of the claims being made inside. "We want absolute specifics," said Harry Riley, a retired Army colonel who leads Eagles Up!. "This is too important to our nation. The credibility of our nation and the credibility of our soldiers are involved."
Riley said those making allegations against the U.S. military should have to give sworn testimony instead of speaking at an antiwar conference.
Organizers said they have sought to verify the records of all soldiers speaking, including reviewing their service records and talking to other members of units. Some soldiers had videos and photographs, which were displayed yesterday on a large screen in the auditorium.
"The ubiquitous nature of video, photo and technology really sets this apart" from the original Winter Soldier, said Jose Vasquez, an IVAW member who directed the verification process. Organizers and speakers said Winter Soldier is not meant to vilify soldiers. Instead, they said, it is aimed at changing war policy.
"These are not bad people, not criminals and not monsters," said Cliff Hicks, 23, a former 1st Armored Division soldier from Savannah, Ga., who spoke about his experiences in Iraq. "They are people being put in horrible situations, and they reacted horribly."
A Defense Department spokesman said he had not seen the allegations raised yesterday but added that such incidents are not representative of U.S. conduct.
"When isolated allegations of misconduct have been reported, commanders have conducted comprehensive investigations to determine the facts and held individuals accountable when appropriate," Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros said.
Yesterday's panels included two sessions on "Rules of Engagement," in which soldiers and Marines described in emotional and often graphic terms incidents in which they said unarmed and innocent civilians were killed.
Most of the stories involved Iraq, though some took place in Afghanistan.
Two former soldiers who served with the 1st Armored Division described an attack by an AC-130 "Spectre" gunship on an apartment building in southern Baghdad that they said took place Nov. 13, 2003.
"It was the most destructive thing I've seen, before or since," said Hicks, one of the soldiers.
Adam Kokesh, a student at George Washington University who served with the Marine Corps in Iraq, said Marines were often forced to make snap decisions about whether to fire on civilians.
"During the siege of Fallujah, we changed our rules of engagement more often than we changed our underwear," he said.
On the screen, a photograph showed him posing next to a burned-out car in which an Iraqi man was killed after approaching a Marine checkpoint.
"At the first Winter Soldier in 1971, one of the testifiers showed a picture like this and said, 'Don't ever let your government to do this to you,' " Kokesh said. "And still the government is doing this."
At a session on shortcomings in veterans' health care, audience members sobbed as Joyce and Kevin Lucey described the suicide of their son, Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey, a death they blamed on his inability to get treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mental health specialists were on hand to help speakers and audience members, and a workshop was offered on PTSD.
Those who spoke yesterday described the experience as intimidating.
"It was terrifying for me," said Steven Casey, a former 1st Armored Division specialist from Missouri who also described the AC-130 attack. "I knew somebody needed to hear it. All I wanted to do is say what I saw. I'm not accusing anyone of a crime."
The conference can be viewed at http://www.ivaw.org.
Staff writer Hamil R. Harris contributed to this report.
By Steve Vogel | Washington Post Staff Writer | Saturday, March 15, 2008; B01
Grim-faced and sorrowful, former soldiers and Marines sat before an audience of several hundred yesterday in Silver Spring and shared their recollections of their service in Iraq.
The stories spilled out, sometimes haltingly, sometimes in a rush: soldiers firing indiscriminately on Iraqi vehicles, an apartment building filled with Iraqi families devastated by an American gunship. Some descriptions were agonized, some vague; others offered specific dates and locations. All were recorded and streamed live to the Web.
The four-day event, "Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan -- Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations," is sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War and is expected to draw more than 200 veterans of the two wars through tomorrow. Timed for the eve of the fifth anniversary of the war's start next week, organizers hope the soldiers' accounts will galvanize public opposition.
For some of the veterans speaking yesterday, the experience was catharsis.
Former Marine Jon Turner began his presentation by ripping his service medals off his shirt and tossing them into the first row. He then narrated a series of graphic photographs showing bloody victims and destruction, bringing gasps from the audience. In a matter-of-fact voice, he described episodes in which he and fellow Marines shot people out of fear or retribution.
"I'm sorry for the hate and destruction I've inflicted upon innocent people," Turner said. "Until people hear about what is happening in this war, it will continue."
Winter Soldier is modeled after a well-known and controversial 1971 gathering of the same name at which veterans of the Vietnam War gathered to describe alleged atrocities. John Kerry, then a young veteran, spoke at the Detroit event, which brought him to prominence. The soldiers' claims sparked lasting enmity, which resurfaced during Kerry's run for president in 2004.
The 2008 Winter Soldier will probably be no different. The event drew dozens of counter-protesters who were kept from the conference site at the National Labor College by a contingent of Montgomery County police. Although entrance to the event was limited to participants and the media, one protester managed to slip in and walked toward the stage, interrupting a speaker.
"Kerry lied while good men died, and you guys are betraying good men," the man yelled. The protester was roughly hustled from the room by several men in red knit shirts and jeans -- members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, who are providing security for the event.
Counter-protesters outside derided the event and were deeply skeptical of the claims being made inside. "We want absolute specifics," said Harry Riley, a retired Army colonel who leads Eagles Up!. "This is too important to our nation. The credibility of our nation and the credibility of our soldiers are involved."
Riley said those making allegations against the U.S. military should have to give sworn testimony instead of speaking at an antiwar conference.
Organizers said they have sought to verify the records of all soldiers speaking, including reviewing their service records and talking to other members of units. Some soldiers had videos and photographs, which were displayed yesterday on a large screen in the auditorium.
"The ubiquitous nature of video, photo and technology really sets this apart" from the original Winter Soldier, said Jose Vasquez, an IVAW member who directed the verification process. Organizers and speakers said Winter Soldier is not meant to vilify soldiers. Instead, they said, it is aimed at changing war policy.
"These are not bad people, not criminals and not monsters," said Cliff Hicks, 23, a former 1st Armored Division soldier from Savannah, Ga., who spoke about his experiences in Iraq. "They are people being put in horrible situations, and they reacted horribly."
A Defense Department spokesman said he had not seen the allegations raised yesterday but added that such incidents are not representative of U.S. conduct.
"When isolated allegations of misconduct have been reported, commanders have conducted comprehensive investigations to determine the facts and held individuals accountable when appropriate," Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros said.
Yesterday's panels included two sessions on "Rules of Engagement," in which soldiers and Marines described in emotional and often graphic terms incidents in which they said unarmed and innocent civilians were killed.
Most of the stories involved Iraq, though some took place in Afghanistan.
Two former soldiers who served with the 1st Armored Division described an attack by an AC-130 "Spectre" gunship on an apartment building in southern Baghdad that they said took place Nov. 13, 2003.
"It was the most destructive thing I've seen, before or since," said Hicks, one of the soldiers.
Adam Kokesh, a student at George Washington University who served with the Marine Corps in Iraq, said Marines were often forced to make snap decisions about whether to fire on civilians.
"During the siege of Fallujah, we changed our rules of engagement more often than we changed our underwear," he said.
On the screen, a photograph showed him posing next to a burned-out car in which an Iraqi man was killed after approaching a Marine checkpoint.
"At the first Winter Soldier in 1971, one of the testifiers showed a picture like this and said, 'Don't ever let your government to do this to you,' " Kokesh said. "And still the government is doing this."
At a session on shortcomings in veterans' health care, audience members sobbed as Joyce and Kevin Lucey described the suicide of their son, Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey, a death they blamed on his inability to get treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mental health specialists were on hand to help speakers and audience members, and a workshop was offered on PTSD.
Those who spoke yesterday described the experience as intimidating.
"It was terrifying for me," said Steven Casey, a former 1st Armored Division specialist from Missouri who also described the AC-130 attack. "I knew somebody needed to hear it. All I wanted to do is say what I saw. I'm not accusing anyone of a crime."
The conference can be viewed at http://www.ivaw.org.
Staff writer Hamil R. Harris contributed to this report.
Filed under
Afghanistan,
Fallujah,
Iraq,
Winter Soldier
by Winter Patriot
on Saturday, March 15, 2008
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