I entered the U.S. Army in 2006 with a goal to see serious combat . I was an Artilleryman stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany . I deployed to the Wasit province ,in Eastern Iraq in Dec 2008 . Almost immediately I noticed that something was odd about our Nation's involvement in Iraq. The size of the giant fobs , the numbers of civilian contractors, and The waste of Materials all around. None of this really bothered me too much at First . I thought it was cool at the time.

Two months into the deployment,Two of my friends where seriously wounded by an IED, .This event along with several others caused my outlook on the war ,the Army, and my life to change drastically. I began notice and question everything , The pointless missions that put us in danger, the contempt toward the Iraqi people by my peers and leadership, The impoverished Iraq cites, and the Corruption in the Iraqi Security forces. Ive heard countless accounts of fellow soldiers and my leaders bragging about killing Iraqis and beating detainees . I've also seen My leadership turn a blind eye to violence directed toward detainees.

Eventually I got fed up with all of this and I wanted to learn how we got into this mess. I got interested in Politics ,the Constitution ,and Libertarianism . Now I'm on my way out of the Military due to injuries. My goal is to Spread the Word about the futility of war , to expose the Propaganda machine that led us to war, and to stand beside other veterans who are willing to take a stand and speak against this occupation and future wars of aggression by our nation.

My main problem with President Obama is his Foreign policy. I find extremely annoying how people either get quiet on that Issue or repeat false statements about his record on the "war on terror"  especially about the withdraw of troops in Iraq. 

Problem number 1 

The U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) was an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi governments that ended the Multi-national Occupation of Iraq  . Negotiations started June 08  and the agreement was finalized in Dec 2008. SOFA signed by President Bush 14th Dec 2008 and took effect 1 January 2009  

In this agreement troops would pull out of all Iraqi cities by June of that year,  and all forces would pulled out completely by 31 Dec 2011 .  The pullout was "completed" 16 December 2011.  It's been repeated by the Obama administration , supporters ,and the re-election Campaign team countless times ,that its was President Obama who Pulled troops out of Iraq,  even thou the SOFA agreement that called for the total withdraw of troops was signed before he was even in office. This detail makes the statement false . Of course this will come off as a petty discrepancy that means nothing on grand scheme of things  ,but its more than just dates and campaign rhetoric .I will explain it further 

 Problem  2  

As units from the 2007 Troop Surge began to rotate home, Army Brigade Combat Teams rotating into Iraq  received a name change  to "Advisory and Assistance Brigades" (AAB)  . 

- "Advisory and Assistance Brigades" (AAB)  where not touted as Combat units in the media ,but These AABs where the exact same Brigade Combat Teams  that had been rotating in and out of Iraq for combat since 2003. The deceptive name change  was done to make it appear to the Public that a drawdown process was rapidly occurring  when it was not. 

-The Pentagon reported to the media these Units were there Only  too "advise" and "assist"  Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)  in taking the lead in Protecting their own Nation. US Troops were only to engage anti-government forces in self defense.  Of Course  this too was Lie   Since ISF  in many Areas of Iraq where incapable of providing  Security in their own Areas of Operations  American units had to pick up there slack and continue fighting  Insurgents and taking casualties in the process, at the time the President was telling the Public the war was over and troops where coming home while 50,000 remained.

Yes troops where coming home,but at the same time more troops rotated in to replace them as a part of a rotation system that had been in place for years .   but Fox news and CNN didn't tell that you that .......

Problem 3

As the deadline to the pullout in Iraq Approached in 2011, the Obama administration tried to  Re-Negotiate the SOFA agreement with the the Iraqi Parliament to keep American forces in Iraq past the established deadline.  Ultimately the deciding factor for pullout was that Iraqi leaders  refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans have refused to stay without it. If Iraqis would of agreed  to our demands we will still be in Iraq today.

Problem 4 

President  Obama said in Oct 2007 

I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank.

-The troops stayed 1 year, 11months ,and 16 days

-From the time Obama took office till the last Soldier left Iraq   264 Service members died.

-since Obama was sooo adamant about leaving Iraq why didn't he push the time table up  for a earlier withdraw , instead of going WITH the George Bush plan ????

- Why did his administration fight to stay in Iraq  months before the deadline ????

All of this irks me ,because I was in Iraq from Dec 2008 to Nov 2009 .My unit briefed us on SOFA right before it took effect .They told us the New Rules of engagement(ROE) ,and  info about our role in Iraq.   Most of the brief was just lip service .Later on I watched the President and the Media  Mislead the American People on TV  (when I had the chance to watch it) . I had to explain to my family that news is full of crap and that I was living proof that of it.

Anyway get your facts straight !  Obama is no better than Bush when it comes to foreign policy

RIP  

SPC Daniel E Gomez     1-26IN   18 July 2007    Adhamiyah, Iraq

SGT Robert G Tenney  2-3ACR  29 June 2011   Badrah, Iraq  

Problem 1----> http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/12/20081214-2.html

Problem 2----> http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2009/07/first-advisory-brigades-to-iraq/ 

Problem 3---->http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/15/iraq-withdrawal-us-troops_n_1012661.html 

Problem 4---->http://youtu.be/kr9ywEFRQkQ

If our troops in Afghanistan “lose”; if they were pushed out of the entire country and “lost” the war, would we here at home suddenly not be “free”? Would our lives change? Would we lose our rights? Would we have to speak another language or adopt a scary religion?

None of that would happen. That’s how you know that none of our soldiers in Afghanistan or Iraq are fighting/were fighting for our freedom, or our rights.

I don’t say that to discredit them, their service, or those who’ve died serving. I served. I say it because I’m still hopeful that a day will come where people will learn to think for themselves, and learn to see truth.

But, I realize it’s unpleasant to think down that road, that if our troops aren’t defending our freedom or our right to be ignorant chauvinists, then what are they dying for? What are they killing people for?

It’s much easier, on a day like today, to post videos of “God Bless the USA” playing over scenes of troops medevac-ing one another, welcome home scenes, bald eagles shitting out laser guided bombs, or whatever else makes you feel proud simply because you were born here, and everybody else was not. Because our war technology is so big, and fast, and loud, and it kills brown people at a rate you wouldn’t believe, and we’re better because of it.

At any rate, do a bit of thinking for yourself today, no matter how much you might hate what I just said.

— G .Miller ,IVAW