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Its not worth the sacrifice that many soldiers have made as I believe it will never remain a democracy. The Iraqis have to want it for themselves and I do not believe that the majority of them want it bad enough to die for it as many of our own have. I believe it is being force fed to them by our government! Why is it up to the United States to spread democracy, even where it is not wanted or welcome?
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As a fishing website, I generally agree that political debate belongs elsewhere. However, as an Iraq War veteran, I have to respond to the above quoted statement. I'll begin by describing how I viewed the events of election day.
I'll be the first to admit that I was less than optimistic about how the elections would unfold. Thankfully, I was wrong. The Iraqi people made it quite clear how much the freedom to vote means to them. While many Americans can't be bothered, these brave people risked their lives, emerged from the sheltered existence of their home lives, (something they have not been able to do in decades) and went to great lengths to cast their votes. Some walked 10-20 miles or more. I thought of the Iraqi Police, albeit they lacked training and discipline but they made themselves targets by working with us, and were damn proud to do so. I thought of the brave translators who worked for us. I thought of the informants who risked their lives to give us intel. In short, watching this election had a profound effect on me because it validated the efforts of those of us who served. It validated the efforts of the thousands of troops in Iraq now and those headed there. Most importantly, and this is something that most of you here can't fully appreciate; It validates the efforts of those who never came home. I know them by name and I know them by face and I always will.
A democracy in Iraq is important to every American. It goes beyond oil and the ability to have affordable SUVs. A self sustaining democracy is a tall order to fill and the Iraqi people have a long uphill battle ahead of them. In this election they have delivered a critical message that they are willing to work for it. This is a noble effort, discouraging at times, but nevertheless a noble effort.
Finally, I think many people, regardless of whether or not they support our troops, don't realize how damaging it is to suggest that this effort is not worth the sacrifice made by our armed forces. They serve to spread democracy, which in turn helps preserve the safety, security, and stability both at home and abroad, which makes our way of life possible.