This 4th, I’m thinking about “Operation Enduring Freedom” and wondering in particular when the real Independence Day will arrive for Iraq. Here are some trenchant thoughts on the subject by Kelly Dougherty, former Army National Guard Sergeant (and current Executive Director of Iraq Veterans Against the War):

Occupation and Independence cannot co-exist. Until our troops leave Iraq, until our brothers and sisters come home and we end this grim chapter in our history, Iraq will remain as it is today, four years after its supposed independence: a country wracked with violence where Iraqi civilians and US troops continue to die every day. By continuing to occupy Iraq, we make a mockery of our own history, our own struggle for independence.

The IVAW website has the entire piece.

All the best for a liberating 4th…