Reply #2: Please consider cross posting in GD & GD:P.

[CrispyQ]

Phil Aliff is an active-duty member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) who deployed to Iraq in 2005 and is now stationed at Fort Drum in upstate New York.

Eli Israel told his commanders while stationed in Iraq that he would no longer participate in an illegal war and was released from the military last month after a court-martial.

Camilo Mejía is the first U.S. soldier to go public with his refusal to continue fighting the U.S. war for oil and empire in Iraq. He served seven months’ confinement for his act. He is the author of Road from Ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Mejía.

Phil, Eli and Camilo talked to Socialist Worker’s Brian Lenzo and Kyle Brown.

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What effect do you think the surge is having?

Eli
Militarily, you can’t fight “terrorism” by browbeating “terrorists.” You can’t terrify terrorists into not attacking you.

And let’s throw out the word “terrorists.” You can’t browbeat people into not attacking you. Believe it or not, most people want to live in peace. Believe it or not, most Palestinians and Israelis want to live in peace.

I’ve changed my perspective on the world in so many ways because of what’s going on in Iraq. To think that they would continue this situation forever without us doing the things we’re doing is ridiculous.

We’re creating people to attack us tomorrow. The doors that are getting kicked in, the people who are being harassed, the children who are crying, the women who are seeing their houses torn apart in front of them, the men who are being shot while defending their own families, the neighbors who are being interrogated with Tasers to turn in their neighbors–all of those people are going to hate us for what we’re doing.