Vermont Veterans Speak Out About War on Iraq

Author: Greg Duggan

As American and British troops fight against Iraq in "Gulf War II," the nation watches various news channels and reads the newspapers to follow the progress of the coalition forces. Despite the in-depth reporting, perhaps only war veterans can understand the experiences of troops overseas.
U.S. veterans have called upon citizens to support the troops now fighting in the Middle East. In a statement released on March 18, Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) National Commander-in-Chief Ray Sisk expressed support for President Bush's decision to go to war against Saddam Hussein, saying, "The United States has vital responsibilities not only to her own citizens, but also to freedom-loving people everywhere." Sisk expressed confidence in coalition forces, stating that the U.S. "military will help to free the oppressed people of Iraq by ridding them of the evil Saddam."
Sisk also asked the people of the United States to support the president and Congress throughout the conflict, and particularly to "demonstrate to our service people that we support them in all that they do."
Ronald F. Conley, national commander of the American Legion, has taken a similar stance. "I am convinced that President Bush has done everything possible to disarm Iraq peacefully," Conley said shortly after the president's national address on March 17. Like Sisk, Conley asked "all Americans to show support for our men and women in uniform."
Veterans living in Vermont expressed opinions similar to those of the national organizations. Both Steve Smith, an officer from the Bristol Legion, and Denton[last name witheld], a member of the Brandon Legion, saw necessity in the attacks. "Had to be done," said Denton. Smith agreed, noting, "I think we needed to do it." Smith enrolled in the army just after the Vietnam conflict and served for 16 years in the National Guard. Denton fought in the Korean War.
Both veterans pointed to the fight against terrorism as one of the motivating factors in their support for the war, referencing the Sept. 11 attacks as an example of the terrorism that they fear could become more common in the United States without military action. Frank [last name witheld], a member of the Rutland VFW who fought in World War II with the Navy, said about the current war, "I think what we're doing is fighting terrorism."
Smith noted other factors supporting the current war, particularly "free[ing] the Iraqi people from dictatorship." He also acknowledged that "in the background there is the oil," among other reasons, for starting the war.
All three veterans expressed dismay at the lack of international support for the actions of the United States. "I'm saddened," said Frank. "I thought we had more friends in the world." Smith targeted France as the main country from which he would have expected support. Although the United States and England have a large force in Iraq at the moment, Smith believed more help would greatly benefit coalition forces. "We need more coalition troops," he said. "They're sending a lot of them over there, but sometimes I think they bite off a little more than they can chew."
Talking about his own experiences in battle, Frank said "no comparison" can be drawn between "Gulf War II" and World War II. Denton talked about a "big difference" between the current war and the Korean War, especially because of the current threat of chemical warfare. Although he recognizes the differences between Vietnam and this war, Smith referred to some similarities between the two conflicts.
He served with many Vietnam veterans in the National Guard who said that to win a war, "you can't go with one hand tied behind your back," alluding to the difficulty of attacking only specific targets while sparing others in an effort to save lives. Smith pointed to similar difficulties facing coalition soldiers, saying the army "can't bomb one building and save the next when the Iraqis are all hiding in a hospital."
Threat of chemical warfare exists as a serious danger in the Gulf War, and the veterans professed a fear of such conflict. Smith spoke of his training with chemical warfare while in the service and said, "I'd rather get shot in the head than get chemicals. If [the armies] get into [chemical warfare] there's going to be some bad news."
In response to the large number of anti-war protests taking place across the country, the National VFW has organized "Support Our Troops" campaigns. Both Smith and Frank, like the veterans' organizations, view the anti-war protests as a lack of support for the troops overseas. Frank was particularly bothered by the protests, as his son is currently "right in the middle of hostilities." Smith said he accepted that "protesters have got a right to protest, that's what we fought for," but feared that not all protesters understand the seriousness of their actions. Because he works at Mount Abraham High School, Smith had the opportunity to speak with some of the students who participated in the "Books Not Bombs" class walkout protest held March 5. From his conversations with several protesters, Smith found that some of them "just wanted a day off, they don't know what they're protesting."
No matter the public stance on war, the veterans asked American citizens to show support for the troops risking their lives overseas. "These people are doing their job," Smith said. "Do your best to support them and hope this war gets done soon."