USA : « We are out here today to say no to NATO »

Why is Veterans for Peace against NATO?

Veterans for Peace is an organization of military veterans representing chapters all around the United States as well as around the world. We have been a part of the American empire, we have taken part in its wars, its occupations and its interventions, and many of us have, at different stages, realized the error of our ways in seeing that the empire is a monster.

Many of us were sort of idealistic young people, who bought the lie that we want to make the world a safer place. Each of us has realized, has come to understand that what we took part in was exactly the opposite.

We are out here today at events like this saying no to NATO to actually fulfill that obligation that we swore an oath to so long ago, to be a force for good. This is real service right here, not being a member of the military.

What do you think of the attitude of the American government in regards to the war in Ukraine?

It’s madness. It’s insanity. These people are out of their minds. They’re leading us to the brink of disaster. This is already a dangerous situation, and they’re just pushing us closer and closer to the edge of a cliff. And it’s terrifying, frankly. We’re on a hair trigger with a nuclear annihilation, and this is something that could be avoided quite easily. Sabotaging negotiations, pouring arms into a conflict like this. This is reckless, irresponsible. Reckless and irresponsible doesn’t even come close to describe it.

You mentioned that young people enroll in the Army with idealistic views, and then turn back against the war. How large is this movement in the Army?

It has unfortunately not been as common as it needs to be. When the Americans were involved in the war on Vietnam, that was very popular. We were drafting, forcing, conscripting young men into service for that war against Vietnam. That was a big part of the anti-war movement, and it came from the military. Over the years that changed. They have gone to an all, so-called all-volunteer force. They are recruiting kids from poverty or kids who can’t get health care, education, things like that. And those are the sort of benefits that lure us into the military. I was one of those. The things that society should really provide, we only provide if you’re willing to sign up for the military. And that’s just wrong.

But what I am seeing, especially since October 7th, is younger people just not falling for that anymore. Recruiting numbers are way down. And that’s something that gives me a lot of encouragement. I’m also a college instructor back home, and it’s a noticeable change.

There has always been a very vocal minority of young people that are interested in these things. But the proportion is growing.

Is it also because of the complete failure of the military operation in Afghanistan and Iraq?

I think that is fair to say. If you really look at it since the end of the Cold War, almost everything the U.S. military and institutions like NATO have set out to do has ended in some kind of a failure. If you actually look at the political objectives that we claim we are going to achieve, we never achieve them.

We cause death, destruction, chaos, instability, but a few people make a lot of money. And after a while, you cannot help but see the pattern here.

How large is the audience of the veterans against the war in the US?

Not as large as it needs to be, but we’re working on that. The propaganda is unfortunately very strong. I meet people all the time who are veterans who absolutely agree with everything we are saying. But getting them to come out and be active is another story.

It is very hard to get somebody who was a member of the military, because we are sort of indoctrinated with this idea that protesters and people like that are sort of the enemy.

I mean for me, myself, the first time I went to some initiative like this, it felt very unnatural.

It was something I had to sort of push myself to do, but very freeing. And for those who are able to make that step and make that transition, it feels like closing an unopened chapter, a wound that has been left open. This is a great way to heal and to make amends for some of the damage that we have done.