I joined the military after September 11th, 2001 out of a desire to protect our country. I believed the President and his cabinet members when they claimed that Saddam Hussein posed a serious threat to the United States, and then was shocked to learn that Congress, the American public, and the international community had to one degree or another been deceived or frightened into supporting the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.
After examining statements made by numerous journalists and public officials with firsthand information on these matters, I came to the conclusion that the Iraq war was not legally or morally justified by an imminent threat to U.S. national security.
By invading and occupying Iraq without proper legal justification, the Bush administration severely eroded the rule of law, creating a disincentive for other countries to adhere to it. However imperfect and in need of improvement, international law helps prevent and mitigate conflict between nations and is critical to peace and stability in the world.
Further, the media campaign the administration waged to secure a congressional resolution for the invasion of Iraq undermined Congress's power to declare hostilities under Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. In order for it to do so responsibly it naturally follows that it must be accurately and honestly informed through independent intelligence assessments, untainted by political interference.
I also believe that had Iraqi political leaders acquiesced to the Bush administration's pressure to open the country's oil fields to foreign control or ownership, the Iraqi public would have rejected those officials as illegitimate, perpetuating violence and instability and undermining the military's counterinsurgency mission.
It is not a light matter for any military member to voice criticism of policy in time of war. Yet I believe it is our duty as citizens to speak out against abuses of power and misguided policies that have arguably made our nation less secure and less free.
For further reading:
Bamford, James. "A Pretext for War."
Chandrasekaran, Rajiv. "Imperial Life in the Emerald City."
Drumheller, Tyler. "On the Brink."
Klein, Naomi. "Baghdad Year Zero." Harper's; September 2004.
Kwiatkowski, Karen. "The New Pentagon Papers", March 10, 2004, Salon.com
Mazzetti, Mark & Daragahi, Borzou. "U.S. Military Covertly Pays to Run Stories in Iraqi Press." Los Angeles Times, November 30, 2005.
Mazzetti, Mark. "Propaganda Effort in Iraq a Mistake, Rumsfeld Says." Los Angeles Times, February 18, 2006.
Muttitt, Greg. "Oil Privatisation Through the Back Door." Niqash.org; June 26, 2006.
Muttitt, Greg. "Crude Designs: The Rip-Off of Iraq's Oil Wealth." Crudedesigns.org
Muttitt, Greg. "Fuel on the Fire: Oil and Politics in Occupied Iraq."
Palast, Greg. "Secret US Plans for Iraq's Oil." BBC Newsnight; March 17, 2005.
Perkins, John. "A Game As Old As Empire."
Roston, Aram. "The Man Who Pushed America To War: The Extraordinary Life, Adventures, and Obsessions of Ahmad Chalabi."
Rutledge, Ian. "Addicted to Oil: America's Relentless Drive for Energy Security."
Saar, Erik & Novak, Viveca. "Inside the Wire: A Military Intelligence Soldier's Eyewitness Account of Life at Guantanamo."
Wilson, Joseph. "What I Didn't Find in Africa." NYTimes.com; July 6, 2003.
"A Spy Speaks Out." Interview with Tyler Drumheller; CBSNews.com; April 23, 2006.
