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"Am I a defender of freedom, or a pawn in a campaign of tyranny?"

From: John M. Duffy
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 3:05 PM
To: soldiers@michaelmoore.com
Subject: Am I a defender of freedom, or a pawn in a campaign of tyranny?

I am a 28yr old SSgt in the USAF with about 7 years of service currently serving in the Midwest USA. Watching our brothers and sisters come home horribly maimed, burned and mutilated fills me with rage. And some say they are the lucky ones as opposed to the hundreds killed in an unjust "war."

Having served in the Persian Gulf during the Enduring Freedom campaign and the onset of the current debacle...I have developed great distrust for my commander in chief and in fact, some in the chain of command who unquestionably support his intentions. This conflict (not a war, since Congress never declared so) has no logic or purpose. Joining military service didn't include a lobotomy -- I still retain the right and ability of thought. However, for the most part, I feel that many of those serving (that have not deployed and seen it first hand) have been convinced of this imaginary threat and resent any fellow serviceman who questions it. It is sad that the patriotism bandwagon that most Americans have hopped has perpetuated this notion that Iraq somehow posed a threat and was connected to 9/11 in some way. In fact, I feel that this idea has been imprinted into our psyche and many people would now be convinced that there were Iraqis aboard those planes. If you repeat something enough times, no matter how absurd, people someday will begin to believe it.

Another troubling pattern that has developed in America is in the overuse of the word "terrorist." It has been redefined to describe any person who would oppose the decisions or actions of the USA. If you invade someone's country- do they not have the right or duty to resist? The Iraqis resist our rule and the administration calls them terrorists. I call them patriots. If the situation were reversed and North Korea was attempting to indoctrinate communism into the American way of life, would there not be resistance by Americans? In America we have that right and duty. If you follow their definition of terrorist...it would include our ancestors who opposed British rule in the Revolutionary War- Including General and later President George Washington.

Personally, I am torn between my love for my country and desire to serve to DEFEND America, and my conscience. I try to tell myself that I am distanced from the actual fighting, but it does no good. My grandfather served in WWII and is a great man for what he did (some might say a hero). No matter how many typical Americans say that they are proud of us for defending their freedom...I don't feel that distinguished and I don't think I'm alone.

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