Last updated 01.04.06 • Site designed and maintained by Ady Cousins free stats
Home
About MFAW
Letters
Resources
Links
Press
From an Iraq veteran
06.04.06
Dear MFAW
I am an ex soldier who served during the 2003 gulf conflict. I had a lot of fun in the British Army and have a lot of good mates. I've served in various campaigns (Falklands, NI, Iraq) but Iraq was last straw for me. Luckily I was in my last 18 mths of service and hung around to secure my pension after 22 years - I think I was owed it. I would have thought seriously about terminating if I had longer to do, a lot of other blokes did sign off after returning from Iraq after the conflict.

As for the Yanks they were pants! 'All the gear - and no idea!' was a well worn phrase. 'F*ck the Iraqis, we're only here to kill people' was one choice phrase I heard - and that came from a Yank Lt Col in the MEF as he ordered M1A1 tanks to return fire when engaged by small arms - Mei Lai - Vietnam?? No Umm Qasr - Iraq. Winners never commit war crimes 'cos nobody investigates them - he's lucky is all I can say!

We, on the other hand were like paupers; no kit, no money and obvious pawns of Dubya. When we arrived in Jan 03 the politicos were still humming and hawing about going to war. When we saw the amount of kit the Yanks had shifted into Theatre it was obvious to us all we were not coming back without a fight - so the public face of Hoon, Blair and Straw was a joke to us all.
We were briefed to expect a massive chemical onslaught yet we had limited NBC supplies. The night before we 'broke the berm' we were still not in receipt of chemical medecine measures. Pathetic! Geoff Hoon was not even there but continued to deny that we were poorly equipped.

It rapidly became obvious, even when we crossed 'the line of death' that Saddam, complete twat that he was mind you (and I didn't have a problem about getting rid of him or his mob!) had no WMD and that his much vaunted Republican Guard didn't fancy a fight or, indeed, dying on his behalf.
We're still there, still dying and still Tony puts on the 'we did what we had to do' rhetoric. I was disgusted before we went and, everyday, am confronted by blatant lies concerning our involvement. It makes me sick! I'm just glad I'm not part of it any more.
Anon