Every generation has a war that defines them; our generation has the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, just like our parents had the Vietnam War, just like their parents had WWII.
Today, our generation can share in the relief that our fathers and grandfathers felt because our war is over.
Last week, President Barack Obama announced the drawdown of American troops in Iraq. By the end of the year, there will be no more American troops in Iraq, and the Iraq War will be over. Obama deserves credit for delivering on his campaign promise to end the war in Iraq.
Ultimately, our generation is just glad to have this war be over. In the haste to celebrate the end of the Iraq War, our generation can’t forget the mistakes that brought us to Iraq or ignore the future of those who fought bravely.
The impetus for the war in Iraq was the supposed presence of weapons of mass destruction, or WMDs. When no WMDs were found, the war’s goal changed to capturing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. When Saddam was tried for crimes against his people, sentenced and killed in 2006, the mission became to foster Iraqi democracy.
In 2011, with democracy gaining traction in Iraq and with no more goals to accomplish, America can finally end the war in Iraq. The cost of war — more than $1 trillion and more than 4,400 American lives — remains staggering, and Iraq’s democracy still is in the formative stages and easily could fail.
Although we’re pleased American soldiers no longer have to risk their lives for us, that doesn’t mean society can forget about our soldiers.
Moving forward, America must work to re-acclimate soldiers back into society. The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which assists military personnel with paying for higher education, is one of the best ways to do that. However, in America’s current economic state, where there are few jobs for anyone, it might be difficult for veterans to find work and integrate themselves back into normal life.
Even with the benefits offered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill, it is important for the government to look out for not only the physical health, but the mental health of Iraq War veterans.
Veterans can succumb to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or other mental health issues as a result of coming home, and it is our government’s responsibility to pay attention.
This generation has grown up with the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan. To have the conflict finally end fills us with relief.
Our generation was never concerned with winning or losing a war against ever-shifting goals, it was about ending a conflict we didn’t know why we started in the first place.
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