“I Can Really Understand Where They're Coming From And Why They Would Build A Resistance Against This Occupation. If I Had Enemy Troops In My Home, I Would Be Poisoning Them, Not Feeding Them”
February 2008 By Jason Washburn [Iraq Veterans Against The War], Sit-Rep
After three tours in Iraq, I've seen the whole spectrum.
They really did welcome us when we first showed up. They were grateful, they were glad that we got rid of Saddam Hussein.
Nobody there liked him, not even his own soldiers.
Everywhere we went they came out with their hands up, busloads of them just coming out and surrendering; and the ones that didn't do that, ditched their uniforms, ditched their weapons, and went back to their daily life.
They wanted Saddam out as much as anybody.
They thought we were going to help them rebuild, which is what we promised to do; but instead, all we did was continuously destroy.
The longer we're there, the more we destroy; and little by little people became less and less grateful and more and more angry.
I can really understand where they're coming from and why they would build a resistance against this occupation; y'know I don't think I've talked to a single Iraqi that hasn't had someone in their family killed.
I think it actually deteriorated a lot slower than it would in' the United States; if some other nation had invaded our country and the same thing was going on, I think it would deteriorate a lot quicker than it did there.
From what I've seen, a lot of the Iraqi people are very open, generous, and hospitable. Especially when we first got there, they were willing to have us in their homes, they would invite us in for food and drink; and even by my third tour they were sometimes still doing that.
I can't even imagine it.
If I had enemy troops in my home, I would be poisoning them, not feeding them.
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