The Viet Nam war earned so much opposition by the young and by African Americans because they were subject to the draft.  Their own hides were on the line.  

War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.

I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.

There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism.

It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.

I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912 (where have I heard that name before?). I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

JEFF ENGLEHART is a former specialist in the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division. While serving in Iraq, he became an outspoken opponent of the war, communicating along with several fellow soldiers "through the Internet, as the bloggers hEkLe, Heretic and Joe Public. The three earned a reputation for reporting what was really taking place in occupied Iraq, especially during the brutal U.S. siege of Falluja--on their Web log at ftssoldier.blogspot.com.

"My war in Iraq had proven to be excruciating. Unlike the others in my company, I had to fight a war on three different fronts. One was against an insurgency that proved elusive and deadly. Another was against the Army, as I stood openly opposed to the war and became vulnerable to harassment. The other was fought against myself, battling a conscience that longed to resist participation in an illegal occupation. I felt tired, battered and beaten.  But I had made it, barely.  Many times, I had almost lost the war on each front, but had managed to fight my way through it all. Now we were home, and the war was over [for us].  It felt good, but somehow, the cold winter day only complicated the manner of our return.  For some, it was an inconvenience that could be overlooked.  For me, it seemed the most appropriate ending to a long and dreary story."

A RESPONSE FROM AN IRAQ VETERAN'S MOM:

So often we forget these individuals we love were not born killing machines.  They were forged by our own government.  No one who has NOT gone through basics, then specialized training, can truly say they "understand what the American soldier represents."  

Every troops' opinion will differ upon graduation and continue to vary and evolve, especially after combat duty.  

It is clear, however, that those who possess strength of character, a genuine sense of patriotism and a valid belief is what is right or wrong are the ones, like Jeff, who find the courage to relay truth, even in the face of overwhelmingly powerful odds.

Soldiers whose moral integrity was broken, but not shattered during their "desensitizing" training, that go on to implement abuse or torture on the implied enemy, are then self demonized.  They become this war's walking dead, suffering from guilt, flashbacks, and nightmares after realizing a part of who they are died "under orders!"

The only hope for even a small chance of recovery is to do as Jeff and many other brave combat hardened Vets of this God forsaken war have done...SPEAK OUT...so that the truth is heard by every serving solder, their families, and the American public.

In doing so they will not only begin to forgive and heal themselves, but wield the ONLY weapon capable of bringing down this administration's dark agenda, thereby exposing it's war criminals to the masses who can and MUST remove them from power!

My deepest respect and gratitude to Jeff and others like him who have found their moral courage and voice.  Truly a job well done!!!!!

In Peace and Humanity, Alycia A. Barr

A COMMENT FROM GENERAL SMEDLEY BUTLER, USMC

  IT'S YOUR BOY THAT MATTERS