US soldier Iraq War: In a deeply personal and candid reflection, a former soldier who served in Iraq reveals his experience during the U.S. and Coalition invasion. On his profile, he shares a small clip of himself in Iraq—one of the few soldiers who managed to bring a camera into the war zones. With over 20 hours of unreleased footage, he chooses to keep it hidden, perhaps releasing it only after his death.A war built on false pretensesThe soldier begins by addressing the infamous pretext for the invasion—Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) that were never found, and alleged threats to America that didnt exist. He condemns the western narrative that sought to justify the war, paraphrasing the famous quote, “History is written by the victors.” In his view, this was an attempt by the West to paint themselves as liberators, when, in reality, they were the aggressors.We, as Americans and Coalition forces, invaded a land and people under false pretenses, he states. He argues that the invasion was not a righteous cause but a power grab in the Middle East, which ultimately secured strategic gains for Israel while leaving devastating consequences behind.Human cost of 20-year-long warsReflecting on the human cost of the 20-year-long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the soldier notes the tragic toll: over one million lives lost in Iraq and Afghanistan, over 7,000 American soldiers killed, and many more left permanently disabled. “What did we accomplish” he asks, pointing to the overwhelming destruction caused.We fought for nothingThe soldiers words grow more impassioned as he directs a challenge to other veterans: “Ask any Iraq or Afghanistan veteran why we were there.” He insists that any veteran worth their salt would admit that there was no real threat to America and that the people in Iraq were better off before the invasion. He goes further, branding those who defend the invasions as liars and declaring, I will call a liar to their face.This was us, this was me. On my profile landing page is a small video of myself in Iraq. I was one of the few soldiers who managed to sneak a camera into the combat zones. I have over 20 hours of footage the world has never seen, I will never show it.Maybe when I die I will… pic.twitter.com/JgRsbh2rVf— Noctis Draven (@DravenNoctis) September 24, 2024A warning for future generationsLooking to the future, the soldier sees a familiar pattern emerging. He fears that the U.S. government is once again preparing to send American soldiers to fight in the Middle East—this time, he says, for Israels interests, not Americas. He denounces those who call him un-American for speaking out, claiming that it is, in fact, the government and its supporters who are betraying American values by sacrificing lives for foreign agendas.In a powerful closing statement, he declares, “No more lives for lies.”
