A Soldier's Personal Revolution
Posted December 3rd, 2007 by Zak Carter
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A Soldier's Personal Revolution
I joined the Army in the early months of 2001; my patriotism led me to the recruiter’s office. I had grown up in awe of my grandfathers and their stories of World War II, and their reminiscing became my dreams. When I got to basic training I did not talk about missing home like the other recruits around me, I felt at home in ways I never had before.
The weeks after 9/11 found me in Kosovo, part of C co 3/7 Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, patrolling the border with Macedonia as part of our duties. We had ammunition to defend ourselves with and the authority to apprehend anyone crossing the border illegally. I will get back to why these details are important later.
Fast forward to 2003, I am rolling across the desert in the back of a Bradley fighting vehicle, part of the spearhead into Iraq. Other than those first three weeks of “Shock and Awe” what I remember most about Iraq was the people. Crowds of kids wanting to know about Michael Jackson and Britney Spears, open-minded adults wanted to know about our social freedoms, and ninety some percent of Iraqis just wanted to raise their families in peace and did not hesitate to tell us. I really fell in love with the Iraqi people. My platoon and I played soccer with some of those crowds of kids, we had dinner and shared food with families in their homes, we even went to a few house parties, and my lieutenant and I spent one very memorable afternoon swimming in an irrigation ditch with five young women. It is all of them I think of when anyone tells me we need to turn the Middle East into a sheet of glass or that all Muslims are our enemies.
I remember thinking on this briefly when I was there, but more so since I’ve returned, usually when I’m day dreaming behind the wheel of my van, but what we were doing when we were doing our jobs, patrolling the streets, conducting road blocks vehicle searches, bodily searching individuals, and searching houses, couldn’t be helping our long range plans for winning hearts and minds. I really have to wonder, how long would it take me to move from a position of thanks for my despotic government being removed to feeling like I lived in a conquered and occupied country if I saw foreign troops on the streets of my hometown Tallahassee everyday? Add to this our having bases and troops in Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia, ( I may have missed a few, we have approximately 700 bases in 130 countries ) some of them for decades, our Navy of their coast, our fighter jets in their sky’s , the CIA in business with monarchs, dictators and thugs, and our State Department treating their leaders like irresponsible children, it’s no wonder moderate Muslims takes to the streets shouting “ Death to America” and a minority takes action against us. I would expect we would be doing the same thing if say, China had bases on our soil, and her Navy patrolled our coastline and Chinese fighter jets streaked across our sky. In short, this is all hard to admit, but our actions do have consequences.
Fast forward again to the present day, I am out of active duty, and in the Army Reserves. (I wanted to stay active duty, but my wife said I would be single, so we had a compromise.)To be honest the reserves has bored me to tears and I haven’t felt like I’m giving anything back to my country, so I looked into getting attached to a National Guard unit on our border with Mexico for a tour or two. However, when I learned they don’t have the authority to apprehend illegal border crossers and can only call up our overworked and overstretched border patrol when they spot illegal activity, I got myself in trouble again by thinking - about what I had done in Kosovo and about what I knew our military had done to our own people in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina ( disarmed law abiding civilians only trying to protect themselves when the police had failed to do so) . To add insult to injury, our Guardsmen and women on our own border don’t have ammunition and have on several documented occasions actually had to retreat when facing fire from Mexican paramilitary groups. Now why would I want to sign up for that? To be witness to the violation of America’s sovereignty? No one in the Executive branch of our government is doing anything about it, and it makes me wonder why I am even in the Army at all.
Why are we the worlds policeman when our own country is being openly violated? Why are we borrowing money hand over fist from nations not exactly our friends, just to spend it on our out of control foreign policy? I am starting to feel like the powers that be do not have America’s interests in mind at all. It’s starting to feel like our ruin is their objective. From our factories closing and moving overseas, to the plunging value of our dollar, America is crumbling. Yet I love her far to much to watch her fall apart.
This is why I am taking my personal revolution and joining forces with Dr. Ron Paul’s revolution. His “bring all the troops home” non-intervention foreign policy and plans to put America first again are just what we need at this time in our history. I don’t expect you to agree with everything he says, but I do hope we can all put our differences aside and join him in seeing that ALL the troops come home, the Republic is restored and America saved. Thank you and God Bless.
Zakery Carter
exclusivelyamericanmade@yahoo.com
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War Is A Racket
WAR is a racket. It always has been.
It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.
A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.
In the World War [I] a mere handful garnered the profits of the conflict. At least 21,000 new millionaires and billionaires were made in the United States during the World War. That many admitted their huge blood gains in their income tax returns. How many other war millionaires falsified their tax returns no one knows.
How many of these war millionaires shouldered a rifle? How many of them dug a trench? How many of them knew what it meant to go hungry in a rat-infested dug-out? How many of them spent sleepless, frightened nights, ducking shells and shrapnel and machine gun bullets? How many of them parried a bayonet thrust of an enemy? How many of them were wounded or killed in battle?
Read more here. There is a Ron Paul ad at the bottom of the page:
http://www.lexrex.com/enl...
I saw your article yesterday
I saw your article yesterday and sent it to some pro-war friends who say if you don't back our current foreign policy, you're against the troops. I bet there are a lot of others like you out there. Thanks.
Great Article
The situation on the border combined with our policy in Iraq is mind blowing.
Thanks for your post. I am
Thanks for your post. I am active duty Navy, and I, too, have joined the RP Revolution. When we military folks joined the service, we took and oath to support and defend the constitution from all enemies foriegn and domestic. Well...the actions of the current president, and his administration can not be considered anything other that acts taken by enemies to our constitution. They have systematically and callously usurped our nation's most basic principals and freedoms, alienated us throughout the world, and are giving up our nations strength and soverinty lock, stock and barrel. And, you're right about one important fact...our leaders are not working in our best interests, and haven't been in years.
Vote Freedom
Vote Liberty
Vote RON PAUL
Zak is a soldier for Ron Paul too
Thanks to Zak for his service to our country then, and now to his active service in our Tallahassee Meetup where he is working hard to get our man elected.
Zak, you da man!
My brother
recently left the Marine Corps, stationed at 8th and I guarding the President on his various international journeys abroad. He'd been there since 2002, and went out in front of the President to the foreign locations to secure the perimeters of the routes the President would travel.
Completing boot camp in 2001, he watched all of his fellow Marines he had graduated with be shipped off to Iraq and Afghanistan.
He and I both felt the necessity of bringing justice to those who senselessly attacked US civilians on 9/11, but we've both independently come to the conclusion that what our governmnet is doing in Iraq and across the world is not Constitutional and only hurts America in so many ways.
After a recent phone call, he metioned he was supporting Ron Paul. I had not ever mentioned my fervor for Dr. Paul to him, and it was great to here that my own brother, a Marine, was confirming what I had come to understand through Dr. Paul's message of a foreign policy of prosperity and peace.
I love our Armed Forces, and I am so proud to know that all of you are supporting Dr. Paul over any other candidate.
God Bless You,
Carl
Well said...
I too am ex-military and was Mr. 'Patriot' neocon. Honestly, I may have not had the essential paradigm shift had this administration not been so incompetent(yes, that is my fault...I voted for W. twice).
My friends...we have George W. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest to thank for this glorious opportunity to save our country! Without their over the top actions...the fog would not have been lifted off of enough people to do even a fraction of what this movement has done.
Long Live the Republic and down with Corporatism/Fascism!
Federal Reserve to the American People:
"Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam."
Fog is Lifted!
"My friends...we have George W. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest to thank for this glorious opportunity to save our country! Without their over the top actions...the fog would not have been lifted off of enough people to do even a fraction of what this movement has done."
Well said.
Like the frog sitting in a pot of water. If the pot of water is heated to a boil slowly, the frog just sits in the pot and eventually gets boiled alive before he knows what has happened. If the pot is heated up too fast, the frog notices the change in temperature and hops out of the pot.
We are the frog. The pot has boiled over. We're hopping mad.
There is no way for us at home to repay you for your service
I to will promise here and now to defend any vet that comes home. from anyone saying anything bad to them and if I see someone spit at a soldier of these United States of American, you better believe someone is getting smacked in the mouth. However I do have every intention of somewhat abusing them. I intend to sqweeze the crap out of them when I give them a big hug and tell them I'm Proud of them and their service to our country. I have done it to every guy I've met so far. Its a little strange to some when you give them a big huge in the middle of walmart and some are not really sure what to do when you do it, but I don't care what others think To me Its just something that must be done. So if your a vet and your out shopping with your family you better keep an eye out for the crazy huge guy (that would be me. =)
service to our country?
Could you please elaborate on this? How has this soldier (or any other in the military) served our country? I'm seriously asking you to explain this statement.
Shocking!
bdrake529, For starters, without those of us who volunteer and serve, you might be speaking Japanese or German right now.
I must say that I am really disgusted to read how little regard you have for those of us that have served.
Defend that statement.
Without our troops, we'd be speaking Japanese or German? Defend that statement.
How was Hitler, who couldn't even cross the English channel and successfully invade and conquer Britain, going to cross the Atlantic and conquer this nation?
Same with the Japanese. Logistically, it was impossible that they would invade this nation, overthrow its government, and conquer its people. Do some research and you'll realize that Japan was deliberately provoked into attacking Pearl Harbor. They never had any intentions of conquering this country.
Who takes 50% of the average American's income in taxes (of various forms)? Who can throw us into prison without due trial by declaring us "enemy combatants"? Who has violated our right to privacy, our right to free speech, our right to liberty and property? Who has mocked our freedom to make voluntary associations and run our own lives? Who has usurped our rights as parents and has claimed our children as wards of the state? Hitler? Hirohito? Bin Laden? No, our own government (at federal, state, and local levels). That is who you have served and for that I owe you no thanks.
Cause everyone likes getting shot at...
This is a reference to the damage of our foreign policy and that the soldiers take part in this?
1. We need a military. It protects the country.
2. Anyone in the military to disobey the government is guilty of treason (Within reason, there's a difference between "shoot those children" and "No Mr. President we won't be going into Iran."). Otherwise we could have a military coup every five years.
The actual actions of the military are the responsibility of the people through their representative government, and disobeying that rule of law within the military is a serious crime.
Anyone who joins the military is simply acting on the orders of our representative government, and thus is not at fault when acting on orders to invade a country whether or not the invasion is legal.
It is not them evading responsibility, it's simply because were the military not to obey the government we'd be in serious trouble.
Edit: Though the generals could say that Congress didn't declare war, hence we are not invading in accordance with the law. It'd be interesting if that happened as the generals would be correct.
Personal Oath
The induction oath of every branch of military includes an oath to defend and obey the Constitution. It also includes an oath to obey orders and the Commander in Chief, but since the CiC and all military officers get their authority from the Constitution, the Constitution is the higher authority.
The Constitution is the law that all elected officials also swear to uphold. It is the law that defines what the Federal government is. Therefore, when the government is in violation of the Constitution, it is no longer the legitimate government as defined by the highest law of the land. It is a rogue, criminal organization. People who break the law in normal society are considered criminal. Why shouldn't we draw the same conclusion of government officials who violate the Constitution (a law they voluntarily swore to obey)?
When an order comes down the chain of command that is in violation of the Constitution, it is the duty of every single individual in the military to consider their oath. If they obey an unConstitutional order, they are breaking their oath and since they are complicit in an unlawful action, they are also breaking the law (remember, the Constitution is a law, not a bunch of suggestions).
To cut off responsibility at the level of general is completely arbitrary. Generals take the same oath as privates. The lowest person in the military is under no less personal obligation to obey the Constitution than the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"because were the military not to obey the government we'd be in serious trouble."
It is not the duty of the military solider to "obey the government". It is their duty to obey the Constitution. Ideally, that should be one and the same (because the government should only be obeying the Constitution), but for a long time, it has not been. It is precisely because the military obeys the government, and not the Constitution, that we are in serious trouble. If a significant number of those in the military refused to obey unConstitutional orders, we wouldn't have had Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, Bosnia, Somalia, Grenada, Panama, etc.... You can blame politicians (or "representatives of the people"), but no one in Washington fired a bullet or launched a missile. It was military personnel that waged the actual wars.
"1. we need a military. It protects the country." - while I agree the Constitution allows for a military, please provide a thoughtful answer to this question. The military protects the country from what?
"simply acting on the orders of our representative government, and thus is not at fault when acting on orders to invade a country whether or not the invasion is legal."
Wasn't that logic completely repudiated at Nuremberg? Why are individuals suddenly not at fault for their willing participation in illegal (and immoral considering the death and destruction caused) activities just because they're wearing a uniform and taking orders?
I guess you're right.
I guess you're right.
The only legitimate purpose the troops can serve is to protect our constitutional rights from a foreign invader, if they break the law in this process they have just defeated the purpose of protecting us.
Since the constitutional rights given to us are supposed to be inalienable, violation of the constitution is illegal regardless of whether we as a people accept it as a valid document and enforce it's laws.
So indeed the soldiers would appear to be in the wrong.
However I still think the primary blame belongs to the people (As in we the people.) who did not accept the constitution as the supreme law and oust our representatives on violating it's stated laws. In failing to do so we essentially made it so in order to follow their constitutional oath the military was required to act against the government which the people had legitimized, while the idea of that seems bad to me I've been wrong before.
I do also agree with you
You are 100% correct, the large fault lies with the people for not holding their elected officials accountable to the Constitution.
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free ... it expects what never was and never will be.
-Thomas Jefferson
That is why I am so excited by the Ron Paul revolution. There is actually a large number of people in this country who are waking up!
If the voters of this country repent of their support for lawless men, and the members of the military repent of their blind obedience to lawless orders, our country will finally be on the right track.
I thank you for rationally considering my argument
These are hard conclusions to come to, but anyone who sincerely desires truth must be prepared to have their ego damaged and their paradigms shattered.
"The only legitimate purpose the troops can serve is to protect our constitutional rights from a foreign invader"
Not so.
Induction oath:
"I,____________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;..."
ALL enemies foreign AND domestic.
I'm not supporting a military coup. That would mean the military would become the government and I'm not in favor of supplanting the Constitution. The Constitution is the government, not the lawless rogues in Washington. Should the military refuse to obey any unlawful orders, as they're sworn to do, they will have effectively defended the Constitution from domestic enemies.
A lawless government deprived of a complicit armed force is an impotent government and freedom is indeed protected.
Don't worry, the Constitutional purpose of the military is to provide for the common defense. The moment we are invaded by another nation, not only will all members of the military rally to our defense, but I guarantee you much of the citizenry will do the same.
AMEN
Don't think I could have said it any better. You have said it: The Constitution IS the government. Government officials who do not obey it are NOT the government.
A thought for Christians: -- do you suppose that when any military person gives account of their life before God, He will forgive them for breaking their oath to the Constitution (which is the ordinance of man to be obeyed for God's sake (see Romans 13)), because they were "following orders?" Every person, no matter how great or small, is individually and personally responsible for their own actions before God, and for making or breaking their own oaths. No one can pass the buck morally.
My prayer is that more and more service men repent their wrongdoing, and turn back to truly serve their country by obeying the Constitution.
Thank you for these words.
Thank you for these words.
I'm with you brother
5/21 Infantry (L) in the house.
I must say, I have felt the same way for years.
When I was in Panama in 1989-90, we were highly armed and aggressive in securing the borders. After a brief over-throw of the government, our duties would be best described as policing.
Although I am not apposed to a somewhat aggressive military or combat action when it is necessary, I am apposed to police actions and nation building.
Iraq would pose as a much better deterrent to those that would harm us, if we surgically defeated them and then left them in chaos, without poring in Billions after, and without allowing our corporations to freely profit on the action. -This would also give us more credibility.
As parents, we teach our children basic and defining ideas, call them playground rules if you will.
1) You can't buy your friends
2 Lead by example, and not by force
3) Talk is cheap etc...
Perhaps we as a nation need to compare our foreign policy strategy against these core principal teachings, and get back to the basics.
Duty!
Thank you, Zak
First, I want to thank you for volunteering to take up arms and defend total strangers like me. The one bright spot in this mess is that nearly everyone supports the troops, who are not to blame for their orders. It is good to see that America learned at least one lesson from Vietnam.
Second, I want to apologize to you for voting for George Bush, and indirectly sending you into the line of fire based on lies. I believed Bush when he promised a "humble foreign policy" and "no nation building." He lied to me to gain power, then he lied to you to abuse it. He betrayed us both.
You are so right about the hypocrisy of our foreign policy. So few of us are willing to admit the truth, as you did. If China were doing as you hypothesized, I WOULD BE STANDING NEXT TO YOU, SHOOTING AT THEM! (That is, if Ron Paul were president. If Clinton or Giuliani wins, the 2nd amendment is history, mark my words -- MARK MY WORDS, and hide your guns.) Sorry for shouting, but I'm sure you understand. It is so frustrating to see the average American wave the flag in support of actions that THEY WOULD NOT TOLERATE if it were done to us! But oh, it's OK when we do it, because we're the shining city on the hill! "America is the hope of the world!" Give me a break! We can be those things -- we *should* be those things -- by showing a smiling face to the world, not a snarling one. Ron Paul knows this; the CIA knows this; the 9/11 Commission knows this; the CSIS Commission on Smart Power knows this...the list goes on. Everyone else just keeps waving that flag, trying to avoid the inevitable cognitive dissonance they would experience if they stopped long enough to look in the mirror. And when Bush asks them to let him safeguard the keys to their freedom, they gladly hand them over. "Whatever you say, Mr. President, just DON'T MAKE ME LOOK IN THE MIRROR!"
As for the motives of the "powers that be," I think you know perfectly well what those are. You've seen it firsthand, as you described. They want a porous border and weak dollar, because they want to ease us into the NAU and the Amero. Conspiracy theory? You be the judge.
Anyway, I'm preaching to the choir. Sorry for the rant. All I really wanted to say is, "you rock." There, I said it. :-)
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Dr. Edwin Vieira (i.e. You be the judge)
I agree with Vieira's analysis of the situation and the available options:
"Therefore, the tactics necessary for patriots to employ are two-fold:
First, in some State, in the immediate future, Americans must put monetary reform into practice, in order to provide silver and gold as currencies competitive with FRNs, so that the Amero will not be common people’s only “hope” when FRNs take the deep six.
Second, Americans must immediately revitalize “the Militia of the several States,” State by State, so that, if monetary and banking chaos does descend upon the United States, it will not result in a National para-military police state."
Of course, maybe this is why the feds have decided to raid the Liberty Dollar. How are they going to impose the Amero as a solution if there is competion from the Liberty Dollar?
You can find out more about Vieira's proposed second option with this eight part essay by Vieira that is well worth reading:
http://www.newswithviews....
I agree with Vieira and liberals that we need to pay more attention to the first part of the 2nd Amendment:
"A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state"
Amazing, Amazing.
Revolution.
Very well said! Thanks for your service and your good sense!
Mike
Ron Paul is my HERO!!!
"Fire Team for Freedom" on RonPaulRadio.com
Mondays and Wednesdays 10pm EST
or visit mikeandjake.com
!!!
Someone should send this to the campaign! This would make an excellent release on the front page of the website!
Great idea and
it should be sent to John McCains campaign.
Give Me Freedom
If Tyranny And Oppression Come To This Land, It Will Be In The
Guise Of Fighting A Foreign Enemy. James Madison
Thank you Zak
for serving our country. I will pledge that as a Ron Paul supporter that I will protect any Iraq war vet who comes home from the war from those who might slander,mistreat ect after Ron ends the war. We all know that this will happen so we must defend these brave men and women. We saw this after vietnam and I'm sure we will see it again so please stand up for these men and women.
Give Me Freedom
If Tyranny And Oppression Come To This Land, It Will Be In The
Guise Of Fighting A Foreign Enemy. James Madison
Very eloquent
It's testimonies like this that need to be made available to the American voters. Heart Spoken in the best way.
You moved me to tears...
My son, brother-in-law, and two cousins are presently serving. They all feel just like you do. I don't know who McCain spoke to as the basis for his attack on RP but it certainly was none of my family, friends, acquaintances, fellow bloggers/chatters. commentors or just simply people I have encountered while street canvassing, who have shed blood there. I could count on my hands the number of people I have encountered who would support McCain's words. I am grateful and proud beyond what mere words could express of your service as well as the service with the most honorable intentions from my family as well as the many others. I am especially grateful and proud of you standing up in your truth, a truth that at least hundreds of millions of people share with you. I am sending you a huge hug full of good wishes for peace, hope, and love. Ron Paul is our Only choice...
Thanks much, Zak
We're all very proud to have you on this team. Thanks so much.
JMR
Bravo! A very insightful
Bravo!
A very insightful piece.
thank you for your service to our country
And thank you for sharing the narrative of your personal awakening that has brought you into the fold of the Freedom, Peace, & Prosperity Movement. You personal revolution is an inspiration.
A Ron Paul Presidency will end American Imperialism and rebuild a strong National Defense while restoring Constitutional Government.
It's a tribute to Dr. Paul's message that he has attracted the support of so many patriots in the U.S. Armed Forces like yourself.
Unfortunately, this is yet another area that the Corporate Military Industrial Media fails to serve the American people by neglecting to broadcast the diverse viewpoints of our troops. Apparently according to the MSM, "supporting the troops" doesn't necessarily mean giving them a channel to express their views, especially if their views conflict with the continuation and expansion of American Imperialism.
But we're changing all of that right here, day by day, with the help of brave men and women who serve our country honorably and support Dr. Ron Paul's message of the Freedom, Peace, & Prosperity.
I love my country and the American Way of Life, the rights and freedoms enumerated in the Bill of Rights, and the Constitutional Republic that is meant to protect our Liberty and Freedom about all other interests. And I can tell from your message that you do as well.
Thanks.
Well, written
Thank you for your valuable insight.
sharing!
Oh, I'm definitely going to share this one!
Thank you for your service and God bless you!
--
Lane Bryant
http://www.graceforums.co...
Thank you, Zak
I have been somewhat confused in the past about our presence in Iraq. All of the accounts I have read from soldiers stationed there is their love for the people, and that many Iraquis are grateful for our presence there.
Your explanation helps any remnants of doubt I have. I do recognize that, whatever role we play in their country, that is a role in which the Iraqi people don't have to take responsibility for.
Thanks for your service and dedication to our country.
THank You Zak
Zak, Thank You for your service to this country. My only wish is that everyone in the service thought the way you do, the world would be a better place. Its a pleasure to have you on our side and with hope this letter should find its way to Ron Paul. God bless you.
Zak,
thanks for your service and for sharing your story. It should be added to Rudy's Reading list, not to mention John McCain's. I'm glad your role as world's policeman didn't get you killed.
-JP
Thank You!!!
Thanks for your service, courage and honesty!!! We are now fellow foot soldiers in the Ron Paul Brigades.