@Tazx "What I saw on the ground in Afghan and Iraq were complete fabrication compared to the truth."
Obviously you served in these areas? I agree re: Iraq/Afghanistan. Please speak more of your experiences there. Thank you.
Well, there were a lot of experiences, but the 2 most prolific examples of lies/deceit was in Afghanistan, seeing blacked out cargo planes arrive at 0200, load up pallets of poppies (opium) and take off without shutting down the engine. Which in itself is not proper procedure due to safety rules, unless live combat zone stipulates a reason for it. (Cargo planes do not fly into active combat zones, ever in my experience) Which again on a secured base with lots of tech (night vision/infrared etc) guards every 50 ft, satellite cover overhead, is a joke. No danger for that aircraft. The plane was unmarked, graphite no tail markings or numbered.
We all knew it was CIA plane. They did this a lot. It was guarded by private contractors, so that in itself says a lot. No flight logs, no cargo logs, no record of that aircraft landing or taking off. Which to many of us screamed drug trafficking. Many knew, people spoke out, but 'no one saw anything of interest' according to HQ. Lol.
Then it was quite the norm for certain forces to 'shoot up' an entire village or complex trying to get 1 man, or a small group, while disregarding the hundred or more Afghans there just trying to survive. Won't say who...
Many innocent people died for no reason other than inadequate leadership and political leaders. See the videos that sent the US soldier to prison. Lies, lies and more lies. Latest numbers I heard was 3500 to 7k US soldiers died there, 152 Canadians, hundreds of other nations soldiers as well.
And what did this accomplish? Nothing. Not a dam thing. Even to the unintelligent you could see Afghanistan was a lie. No way in h e double toothpicks was that region ever a threat. No fancy camps or training facilities, no tech, no grand plans, no leadership with grandiose ideas, nothing. The caves we cleared were sleeping quarters, kitchen areas, yes meeting places, but If any country thinks that anything we found there or the individuals we arrested or terminated were a threat to anyone let alone the US, well I got a bridge in Fiji to sell you!
I Iraq my unit was attached to a green beret unit searching for WMD's. Several teams were searching over the years. Total find-0, zero, zip, nada, nyet, nein, nothing. We were there when it first started. I tell you Iraq was beautiful. Amazing country, amazing cities, and truly nice people. Was Hussain a nut? Sure. Aren't all dictators. But his people had 1st class schools, hospitals, education and so on. The libraries (we raided by the way) were astonishing.
Many govts essentially looted Iraq to the tune of Billions. Many millions died for nothing. Innocent people were killed for no reason other than political gain and peacocking. Each and every location of WMD's turned out to be wrong, empty or...if we found anything it was mortars, shoulder rockets, and small arms. Nothing big or important. Many times I have seen bigger arsenals at my friends in the US! Lol!
There are many worse things I could tell, but just sitting here thinking out them make me sick. I do not wish anyone to experience these things and pray to God, Allah, Buddha, whomever your deity to stop all conflicts/wars.