The Reality of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

  As Dougherty, the executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), explained while introducing her fellow veterans to the small panel of lawmakers, the soldiers’ testimony, in contrast to the spin created by the Bush administration, Ambassador Ryan Crocker and military brass, was truthful—and ignored by policy-makers.

  “Congress continues to look to their fellow politicians, to pundits, to generals, to see what is happening in Iraq,” Dougherty said. “But rarely are the veterans and active duty men and women themselves, many of whom have served repeated tours, been asked for their insight into what is happening. If Congress’ aim is to know the true cost of the war in Iraq, then you must listen to the testimony of the soldiers, the Marines, these service members, who have served during this occupation and the Iraqi people who have survived it.”

  The nine combat veterans who participated in Winter Soldier on the Hill testified that the war in Iraqhas been mismanaged, that U.S. soldiers are being ordered to do unspeakable things and that the physical and emotional wounds of war were not being adequately addressed by the veterans’ health care system.

Negligence, Corruption, Excessive Force
  Most alarming, perhaps, is the soldiers’ testimony on how the war is being conducted in Iraq, in the name of the United States.

  The picture painted by the veterans stands in stark contrast to the war being reported by the mainstream media and supported by the American government. Luis Montalvan is a 17-year veteran of the Army and attained the rank of captain. Montalvan testified that when he was sent to Iraq’s Al Anbar Province, “We were deployed without any weapons.” His requests for more resources and personnel went unanswered.

  He added that the United States “has never had close to the amount of troops we needed,” and the reality of war is nothing like the “perpetually rosy picture” portrayed by the commanders. “In Iraq, I witnessed many disturbing things,” Montalvan testified. “I witnessed waterboarding. I was given unlawful orders by superiors to not offer humanitarian assistance to refugees caught between Syrian and Iraqi borders. I disobeyed those orders. I witnessed and participated in countless massive operations led by American commanders whose metrics for success were numbers of detainees apprehended without regard to the real effects—tribal, ethnic and sectarian strife conducted by American taxpayer-uniformed and -equipped militias the U.S. military calls Iraqi security forces.”