Iraq Veteran on why US should leave Iraq . . .

[goodhue]

An Interview with Patrick Resta of Iraq Veterans Against the War

"Sent Into Combat Unequipped and Unprepared"

* * *

Zeese: What did you see in Iraq that convinced you that the U.S. should leave?

Resta: Pretty much everything I saw in Iraq convinced that US forces needed to leave. The in your face hypocrisy of this occupation was the most disturbing thing for me. Being told I was risking my life to help the Iraqi people and then getting over there and being told the Pentagon had set policy so no Iraqi could be treated unless they were about to die. The hypocrisy of the occupation was evident when I was told we were going to help rebuild Iraq and then watched as the only things being rebuilt were Saddam's military bases to prepare for a permanent US military presence. Every reason this administration gave to justify our presence in Iraq was the exact opposite of what was going on. While in the towns I would talk to Iraqis hoping to hear something that would make the sacrifices of my fellow soldiers worth it. What I found is that we are neither wanted nor welcome. The Iraqi people don't trust us and they don't want us there. Poll after poll has made that clear.

Zeese: The major argument for staying in Iraq is if the U.S. leaves there will be greater chaos. How do you see this -- is the U.S. minimizing the chaos in Iraq?

Resta: I always ask people to describe the situation now. Is it not chaos? To me the definition of a civil war is when people from a country kill other people from that country. That's what happening now in Iraq. US troops are the problem, not the solution. We are reliving the Vietnam War now and it's sad. We're reliving it because the people in power didn't learn anything from that event. They were too busy dreaming up ways to dodge the draft.

Tank battalions will never rebuild power and water purification plants no matter how long they stay in Iraq. Halliburton and Bechtel didn't build Iraq, so why are they rebuilding it? If you really want Iraqis to have democracy let them run their own affairs. When you break something in a store you don't sit there with crazy glue trying to piece it back together. And you most certainly don't run around with a bat breaking more things. What you do is apologize, write them a check, and get out before you do anymore damage.

Zeese: Did you get any sense when you were in Iraq that the U.S. is planning a long-term stay in the country or are we planning a brief stay until things calm down in the country?

Resta: If you go back and look you can see members of this administration talking about an invasion and long occupation of Iraq as long as a decade ago. As I said earlier I saw plenty of bases being built for a permanent US military presence. Things like barracks like you would see back here in the States. While I was in Iraq the Air Force opened up what was referred to as a "million dollar gym" at a base outside Baghdad. I never saw the receipts, but it sounds about right to me. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools. It was incredible to watch it happening and then hear the spin from the American press. You can even go to www.globalsecurity.org and find the specifics of the plan, including what units are going to Iraq for the next few years.

http://www.counterpunch.org/zeese05052005.html

[knowbody0]

1. apologize, write them a check, and get out b4

you do any more damage. how sane.

[Amonester]

2. "What I found is that we are neither wanted...

... nor welcome. The Iraqi people don't trust us and they don't want us there. Poll after poll has made that clear."


What?

I thought * said * is there for spreading (read "impose") "Freedom," and now, they don't even have the Freedom to decide who should stay and who MUST leave???

:banghead:

[goodhue]

3. kick

eom