Both Vance and Walz Experience Moral Blindness on “Serving” in Iraq
Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance is taking Democrat vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz to task for his military “service” with respect to the 2003-2011 U.S. war on Iraq. He says that Walz ended his 24 years in the National Guard early to avoid being deployed to Iraq. For his part, Vance, who was in the Marine Corps for four years, “served” a year in Iraq as a military journalist.
Vance stated, “When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country I did it. I did what they asked me to do, and I did it honorably and I’m very proud of that service.”
Walz responded to Vance’s attack by complimenting Vance and thanking him for his “service.” His campaign put out a statement stating that Walz “thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way.”
Unfortunately, both men are operating under a severe moral blindness when it comes to Iraq, a country against which the U.S. government initiated and waged a brutal, vicious, deadly, and destructive war in contravention of the U.S. Constitution and the principles set forth at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal.
Where is the “service” to one’s country in that type of war? It is nowhere to be found. Instead, such “service” involved obedience to illegal orders to attack a country, kill and injure untold numbers of people, and destroy property and infrastructure all across the country.
When a foreign regime like Russia invades Ukraine, U.S. officials, U.S. politicians, and the U.S. mainstream press are somehow able to recognize the wrongfulness of such an invasion. But when it’s the U.S. national-security state that is doing the invading, it’s considered to be a “patriotic” act intended to protect U.S. “national security.”
The U.S. Constitution requires a congressional declaration of war as a prerequisite to waging war against another country. The Constitution is the highest law of the land. It is the law that we the people place on federal officials. They are supposed to obey it.
It is undisputed that the president, the Pentagon, and the CIA never secured a declaration of war against Iraq from Congress. That means that the war that the U.S. government initiated against Iraq was illegal under our form of constitutional government.
The Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal held that any regime that initiates a
Article from The Future of Freedom Foundation
The Future of Freedom Foundation (FFF) is a leading voice in libertarian thought, tirelessly advocating for individual liberty, free markets, and limited government. Established in 1989, the FFF is more than just a think tank; it’s a hub for intellectual exploration and policy advocacy that draws on the classical liberal tradition and Austrian economics. Through insightful articles, videos, and events featuring top libertarian minds, the organization provides a robust critique of mainstream politics and policies, championing instead the principles that underlie a truly free society. For anyone seeking a principled stand for freedom and limited government, the Future of Freedom Foundation serves as an invaluable resource and an inspiring beacon.
