Operation Iraqi Freedom

On March 19^th 2003, two F-117 Nighthawks from the 8th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron dropped four enhanced, satellite-guided 2,000-pound Bunker Busters GBU-27 on a community called al-Dora, on the outskirts of Baghdad. It was a preemptive strike in an attempt to kill Saddam Hussein. This was the opening blow in what would become known as Operation Iraqi Freedom. They ended up missing their target, and in the end it wasn’t a 2000 pound bomb that killed Saddam, it was a 6 foot rope that did him in. An $858,000,000,000 dollar 6 foot rope. (Wikipedia)

As a soldier and active participant in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) I saw the insides of war in a place few can imagine. The media does little to describe or accurately inspire the laymen on the condition of the average Iraqi. A question brought to me countless times by civilians was: are Iraqis better off? Do they appreciate their freedom that we paid for with our blood? It is a fair question that can be difficult to answer.

First, Saddam needed to be stopped. He was a psychopathic terrorist that spread destruction and bullied the region for decades. Terrorism is the word that would describe his reign of terror as President of Iraq. He stayed in power by killing and deposing any who stood as a threat to him. The average Iraqi is like you and me. They want to be able to work provide for their family, and live in peace.

Are Iraqi’s happy he’s gone? Yes, the average Iraqi I spoke to was happier to have rights. They were happier to be able to vote. There turn out at elections was around 76 percent! Can you imagine that?? With the threat of attacks, snipers, bombings, land mines, and more, that 76 percent of Iraqi’s who could vote did. It makes you wonder about us. When people ask me do they appreciate their freedom, I would be quick to ask do we?? When we live in a day when fewer than one out of two shows up to the polls to vote, do we appreciate our Freedom?

I would propose that the average Iraqi probably understands the concept of freedom better than many Americans. How can we know freedom if we’ve never experienced repression? Americans have become so gorged on the concept of freedom that they forget that freedom needs to be won constantly. The generation that takes freedoms for granted will find it slipping away from them. We are quick to assume that we will always have freedom and it is a right. Rights are only gained and maintained by sacrifice. We need to be willing to sacrifice to provide this for others and keep it for ourselves. As a soldier I am willing to sacrifice for another person to live in freedom . Iraqi or American. Iraqi Freedom was paid for by American blood, the same blood that put a down payment on our freedom.

But we in it shall be remember'd;

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother;

[Dedicated to my brothers in arms, who gave their all.

Cpl Steven Shannon, SFC 'Tony' Wasielewski]