Since last October when the United States began to ready its forces for a possible attack on Iraq, peaceful solutions to the problem have seemed impossible. The forces have not been brought together for nothing; they have come to execute an already existing military plan. The thousands of forces that are in Kuwait and the other thousands who have not yet arrived are both indications that the war clock is ticking. Like any army which is in a waiting mode, the American troops are prey to boredom. They have come to the Gulf to do a job and they are not yet doing that job. How, Al-Majalla, a sister publication of Arab News, asked, are they spending their time in Kuwait?
Many American soldiers do not fear war or a terrorist attack. They told Al-Majalla, “The war will be easy and it will not last long.” They said that they feel safe in Kuwait and their families are not unduly worried about them at present. Col. Childress, who is married with a daughter, said that he was used to war. His wife, he said, is a great support and she understands the job he is doing. The colonel’s father was in the military and served in the Korean War and also in Vietnam. He expects any war in Iraq not to be as difficult a fight as in Vietnam because Americans now have more advanced weapons. He believes that war will be fast and easy because the American military is better trained than the Iraqi one. The Americans are ready and waiting for orders from Washington though neither he nor anyone knows when the military action will start. He is not worried about the long time they are spending in Kuwait because there is always something to do — more training and organizing in addition to coordinating with other troops in the area.
Col. Childress is afraid that Iraq might use chemical weapons but he believes that the training the Americans have had will enable them to withstand chemical attacks. He hopes that no chemicals will be used as they would lead to appalling human disasters. He said the high security measures taken by Kuwaiti forces would protect the Americans from any possible attack. He admitted that terrorist attacks by Kuwaitis on the Americans had caused worry and concern and he wishes that the crisis could be solved peacefully
Col. Jay Shields, married with a son and a daughter, is not thinking of war. He said, “I follow my normal daily routine. I get information from watching the news, just like any normal person.” He said that his family is not worried about the war and they just want him to return safely. He said that his family is used to war situations because he is a soldier. He and the other military personnel are not allowed to leave the hotel where they are staying for fear of possible terrorist attacks.
Carol Sobel, a female soldier, expressed her happiness at being in Kuwait again, since she was in the country at the time of the 1991 war. She hopes the scenes of happy liberation of that war will be repeated once Iraq is free of Saddam. Carol is married and has a 17 year-old daughter. Her duty in Kuwait may last for months since if war begins, there is no way of knowing how long it will last or how it will end.
She said, “I know we will win because of our military advantage but no one knows how long it will take.” She does not feel uneasy at the increased security measures, saying that as a soldier, she is used to them. Her family is used to her long absences and her husband is a retired military man. She hopes to be able to go home as soon as the crisis ends.
Jacob, an American Jewish soldier, said that he was participating in the military as an American citizen with duties toward his country. He said, “I am a soldier on a mission by President George Bush and I have to obey orders.” He said that he was not here to fight against Arabs and Muslims, but to help Arabs liberate themselves from Saddam. He pointed out that he had many Muslim friends serving with him in the military and he did not feel animosity or unkindness toward them. He feels people with different backgrounds should have the right to live freely. He is not concerned with what is happening in Palestine because he is not a politician; he is simply a normal American citizen. He said, “It is a problem between Palestinians and Israelis and they should solve it soon.” Danicker, a female media representative officer, said that they did not want war because they feared its consequences. As officers, they must obey orders and serve their country. Her duties are to serve as a media representative during war. She is not married and all her family members are in the army. They know that she can protect herself. She was involved in Kosovo and Bosnia operations and the present security measures in place make her feel safe.
Arab News Opinion 16 March 2003