Back In The Trenches: A Perspective

Germany was more or less exactly the way I left it back in 2005. On the train rides in between major cities, it was refreshing to see beautiful rolling green hillsides with deep dark forests so thick as to practically be impenetrable. Along the way, one would see quaint little villages interspersed with the beautiful countryside, with archaic stone castles towering above them from hilltops. In Frankfurt, Nuremberg, and Berlin it was a pleasure to be amongst a people and its aura with so much history and culture. I felt almost relieved having come back in Europe, Germany being almost like a second home to me. This time, I felt quite comfortable coming back as a civilian. In many aspects, I was reliving Germany under a different light. It was amazing not to constantly feel that wringing in your gut, that horrible nauseous feeling that you were an American soldier in a foreign land, and inevitably headed to the war in Iraq. As a civilian, it was comforting knowing that I could this time come to Germany as a representative of an organization back home that I could take great pride in, Iraq Veterans Against the War. Instead of being a soldier stationed in Germany, I would be an antiwar American diplomat, pushing the soldiers/veterans movement to all corners of the world. I liked that aspect of my journey very much.

But our trip to Germany was much more than sightseeing and touring ancient castles. It would prove to be an enduring and emotionally draining undertaking meeting with active duty soldiers in environments that created animosity and confusion. It was not easy to walk into Joe-bars and sneak onto post with an antiwar philosophy on militarism and a visual distaste for authority. Our ability to crack the wall of mistrust in soldiers proved to be difficult. However, we soon realized that being completely straightforward with an already disillusioned crowd would give us many opportunities to talk candidly with soldiers, most of who warmed to our presence immediately.

My experience with soldier outreach in Germany was an inspirational one. I learned that sometimes the most genuine resistance towards the forces of oppression can be found in the least expected, far away places.

Soldiers stationed in Germany seemingly live under a cloak of obfuscation. Being so far away from their home and a language and culture that they know and understand, soldiers are left with only The Military for sustenance, comfort, and a peace of mind. In Germany, the heavy air of discontent surrounding the Iraq War is not as prevalent as it is in the United States. The protests that the antiwar left conducts in America are largely unseen by soldiers stationed in Germany, and are therefore unknown.

Some soldiers I had talked to were completely unaware of Iraq Veterans Against the War, and once aware of such group, were suddenly motivated and encouraged towards antiwar sentiments. Being suddenly exposed to dissident thought seemed to spark a prairie fire in the minds of some soldiers we encountered.

The biggest advantage that the Army has in Germany, aside from strategic proximity to foreign countries, is that the Army chain of command has almost no difficulty placating and subduing its soldiers into an obedient mindset. With soldiers being so far away from American influence, the Army can much easier mould and indoctrinate its soldiers while living and operating in protected social bubbles…their perfect, little Army societies.

For example, I can recall a time while I was a soldier in Germany when the Army very blatantly and purposely lied to the soldiers under its command. One day, during our closing formation before the weekend, our company commander warned all us soldiers to stay away from Nuremberg that Saturday. His explanation was that there was a Nazi rally scheduled that day, and soldiers were to stay away from any trouble that may ensue. Of course, my friends and I adamantly despising Nazi-punks, decided to attend and ridicule the protestors.

However, once at the rally, we saw none other than anarchists-- brandishing black flags, wearing black masks, holding anti-imperialist signs, and burning American flags—holding a protest against the imminent invasion of Iraq. Far from the commander’s description, the protest that was held was of anarchist origin, the complete opposite of what you would expect at a Nazi rally. The Army either was willfully ignorant of the politics of anarchists, or decided to lie to its soldiers lest they be subjected to anti-imperialist, anti-American propaganda.

The US military abroad can easily instill fear, loyalty, and subservience in its soldiers at a level difficult to achieve stateside. Which is why it is indicative that when lower ranking soldiers, sergeants, and even officers largely oppose the war in Iraq, it becomes clear that a widespread resistance is beginning to foment under the surface of the Army’s ordered and regimented façade.

The Army’s presence in other countries, in Germany especially, presents an entirely different dynamic to the antiwar movement. While leftist thought is rampant in that country, soldiers surrounded by it are cut off from its leanings by an overly protective military atmosphere.

The idea that the US army in Germany was extremely paranoid by four antiwar veteran/activists proves that the soldiers stationed there are extremely vulnerable to antiwar tendencies, so much that desertion and AWOL in that environment is a major concern for them.

If there is one important lesson that I learned from my trip to Germany, it is that soldiers stationed overseas are widely ignored by the media and activist circles here at home. While antiwar talk is becoming more commonplace on our television and in our communities, the notion of antiwar sentiments found with soldiers in Germany is sometimes forgotten.

The United States has over 700 bases in around 130 different countries. With some 250,000 uniformed soldiers, sailors and Air Force personnel stationed sporadically throughout these locations, it is testament to the overwhelming size of our empire’s military. While it is unfortunate that the media does not amply cover the activities of the military in these countries, it is a mistake for the antiwar movement to ignore the enormous amount of soldiers stationed overseas. It is perhaps true that some of the most fervent and dedicated antiwar veterans today at one time had served in one or several other foreign countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan. In some cases, being exposed to other cultures and a whole array of new ideas and philosophies helped to solidify the antiwar/anti-imperialist that veteran activists carry today.

During the Vietnam War, the unpopularity of the war and the savagery that soldiers were exposed to combined to create an environment for soldiers to radicalize and collectively organize from within. During that time, wherever the US military established its forces, an equal or greater counter-force operated through GI coffee shops, antiwar newspapers, or on-base soldier unions. The ability for dissent to travel to every corner of the United States Empire created a situation of rebellion that spiraled out of control, providing soldiers the opportunity for outright combat refusal and a break down of military bearing.

Today’s military empire is no different, and neither are its soldiers. As the Occupation of Iraq becomes more of a bloodbath and controversy, so too will the radicalization of GIs become more common and prevalent. The only solution to this war, much like the War in Vietnam, will be for the soldiers to organize against it, and end the war from within.

We can help create the conditions for open rebellion in the military, but only if we are determined to reach out to active duty soldiers not only within our own borders, but in other countries as well. The fuse is set for GI resistance across the globe, all it needs is the spark of support from a nurturing antiwar movement at home to ignite this struggle, and bring the war machine to its knees.

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posted by Jeff Englehart
aka: heckle
Iraq Veterans Against the War
www.ivaw.org