What they said

We asked local people to send us their thoughts on the end of the war in Iraq. Here are some responses:

• While we “liberated” a country into a constant political turmoil, we spent billions that could have gone to solving our own deficit issues. Our foreign policy appears to ensure quality education and governing for those far away at any expense while our domestic policy says we don’t have a dime for anyone.

It would be a welcoming new trend to have Iraq pay us back in oil revenue for liberating them (with interest), or at the very least, not fight with Israel or their neighbors to draw the world into a global nuclear conflict, attempt to supply terrorism with new suicide bombers, or continue “backward” policies such as Islamic/Shariah law that include executing people who practice a differing religion or freedom of thought.

But that may be too much to expect from an exhibition in nation-building and the thousands of injured or dead from such a long conflict. What exactly did the U.S. learn from all of this? My fear is that we learned nothing.

–Troy Kirby, Cheney

• Time will tell whether or not it was worth the cost. I felt at once relieved and saddened when I heard Camp Victory was shutting down the lights for the last time.

I’ve lost over a dozen friends (heroes) to this war, watched my husband crumble under the weight of severe PTSD, endured my family being torn apart, heard of record numbers of soldiers committing suicide … and now my children are growing up fatherless.

I am grateful for the military family that has never abandoned me or my sons – that has been the single greatest outcome of this journey. Our pride and love for our country is what forever binds us together.

I continue to pray that both countries will heal from the gaping wounds this war has left in its wake, and that those with both visible and “invisible” scars will be able to put their lives back together with dignity and maintain hope for a peaceful future.

– Erin, Hayden (last name withheld by request)

• I wish to say thank you to all the people both in and out of the military that had to go over to fight this war. They did what was asked of them in an exemplary fashion. We are rightly proud of all of you.

That being said, I am glad that we have finally ended our war on Iraq. This was a war that should never have happened. Those responsible for committing our troops, civilians and resources should be tried for war crimes. The unnecessary loss of life, our own as well as many tens of thousands of Iraqis, was the result of an egotistical child who wanted to show his “old man” that he was better than him. The cost in human lives and our resources was astronomical. The cost to our reputation as a freedom-loving and compassionate nation won’t be known for quite a few years.

I hope that we never again strike the first blow in anger at another nation.

Peace and goodwill towards ALL mankind.

– Joe Stickney, Spokane