Took this photo 15 years ago today, waiting to invade Iraq—all unaware we were about to be part of the greatest lie and greatest crime of our generation 
One perspective on what we were doing there: my squad leader painted Uncle Sam over Saddam Hussein’s face on this building we took. (2003)
Took this of a protest against the our illegal occupation while on rooftop guard post. (2004)
Thought we were saving these kids, but can’t even imagine the hell we created for them to live in now.
“Intelligence gathering” over beer
People forget the generals & politicians sent us to a combat zone with literally nothing—we put sandbags on the floor to protect against IEDs.
Climbing stairs to Saddam’s main palace in Tikrit (2003)
“Choose a palace” - what were told when we got to Tikrit. This (very loud) night on the Tigris River was my first major questioning of the war—sitting where civilization had started thinking of our part in that history
Whoops! You know war is awesome for politicians’ careers—they gotta make the photo-op rounds!
“Thank you USA” probably spray painted by CIA
The longer we occupied, the more attacks increased from frustrated civilians. Took this of an APC chasing down a car that had popped off a few rounds at us—more of an act of protest than an actual attack.
Took this the morning of one of the days I testified about at Winter Soldier. That night I wrote my first letters home to friends that what I was being told to do was in major conflict with my morals and conscience.
Rocket that almost got me about a month before going home. By this time I respected the Iraqi resistance and knew I’d be doing the same in their shoes.
Sgt Kwasi (recruited to the US Army from his home in Ghana) sums up our feelings by the end of our deployment (2004)
Finally heading home in 2004. Most would be sent back over and over. For all of us—and of course for the Iraqi people—the war was just starting. Consensus was our year of “liberating” Iraq was, at best, a waste.
aaand the guy sleeping in the 1st pic asleep on the way home. My best friend in Iraq, but we never spoke again after. Wounded by shrapnel & having lost a close friend, he closed the book everything Army. Some would later join me in protesting the war—but most would just disappear
If I could turn back the hands of time I would’ve refused to get on that plane in March 2003. I’ve spent everyday feeling guilt for the lives I impacted and rage at the criminals who sent us. Any US troops seeing this, you don’t have to make the same mistakes we did.
Apparently I don’t know how to thread right but rest of thread is on my timeline
