Introduction
Most people in American society as well as the world at large perceive American soldiers as the worst kind of people in the world. What they do not understand is the fact that most, if not all, of these solders fight for the good of their country. Moreover, their seniors usually make such decisions. Naturally, cultural lives in societies seem to isolate soldiers from the rest of the world and community.
Their integration in society has been difficult with some, like Crawford, finding it even more difficult while trying to relate to other members of the society. “The last true story I’ll ever tell” is a story concerning a man who is drafted into a squad of soldiers during a period of his honeymoon and then he is sent to streets of Baghdad during the America-Iraqi war.
Crawford writes about the time he spent with his wife through tough and trying moments. In addition, he argues in his book that, in the end of a soldier’s tale, things do not quench to a normal state when he gets back from Iraqi war. Crawford lost his spouse and could not find a stable job for quite a long time after the Iraqi war. He got used to sleeping over, in his friends’ houses while looking for jobs in different areas.
The kind of life he experienced in Iraq and after was so devastating the he never wished for a repeat. This book is a true check to those who believe that people return from Iraqi war unchanged and looked down on by society for serving in a war that some soldiers did not even have a say on whether to go or not. This analysis will try to explore Crawford’s book concerning cultural values in American society.
Discussion
“The last true story I’ll ever tell”
In John Crawford’s book, The Last True Story I will Ever Tell, the writer Crawford is drafted from the United States National Guard to work in the Army overseas in the Iraq emperor. The book is drafted as a set of short stories that constitute some of Crawford’s experiences in Iraq.
This book gives a clear structure for recounting an experience with little logic. It is well known that journalist tend to take a global view of situations. This book begins with a story about the invasion where Crawford’s section was caught with a few other sections in a dust storm. For instance, situations happened where they had to work at night without any visibility.
Such experiences were of great concern to Crawford’s unit. In addition, there are times when they could not identify Iraqi tanks. This was quite frustrating to him, given the outcome of such sacrifices. According to him, as indicated in the novel, United States troop were manly in Iraq to guard Bagdad and not innocent civilians.
He goes on to give a situation where in they spent most of their time protecting Iraqi gas stations. Crawford goes on to describe Iraq as a broken State given the fact that it is a third world country, which is at war with itself. Moreover, in his description of the city, he notes that it is filled with desert sand as wells sand due to deforestation and drought.
Crawford’s description of Iraq reveals the surreal illogical of the Bush government claims that Iraq was a real danger to the United States. Crawford’s chapters are gripping, making the reader develop some feelings for his experienced knowledge in Iraq. The author describes their feelings as guardsmen in Iraq, it comes out clearly that they are exhausted and bored, among other problems.
As National Guardsmen, they are recognized as second-class soldiers. This is mainly because they received a junior training as compared to other troops assigned in Iraq. They were relocated within different military groupings, making their Iraq departure time descend lightly.
According to Crawford, the enemy could not be easily identifies as militants (as was usually seen in the press) but rather as civilians since they mixed with them and sometimes using some s human shield. Crawford writes about the grudge that was directed to them. The author also perceives himself or herself as neglected with her friends.
Their time in Iraq makes them to be more desperate and harmful in the society even though they are highly honored in the society. It is quite important to note that any of the troops that step outside the United States face several threats. These range from broken friendships and marriages to heavy casualties that may include deaths, among others such as physical injuries.
This has greatly transformed peoples’ lives. The author goes on to reveal that his marriage also seems to be broken, and ties to console himself with beer from the Iraqis. This gives the book the picture of a group of reprinted stories because the details are simply too painful. In the book, some parts of the story are unknown.
In this context, his wife is seen to move away from his life, making life more difficult for Crawford. His major hopes of seeing a Penelope to be welcoming Muslims gives an indication that the two main clubs. However, the reader never finds out what happened. Finally, it is quite significant to note that United States solders make unimaginable sacrifices to save their country.
Cultural Analysis
This book contributor brings to life the fear and destruction of a war zone. The poverty, disease, and crime are very apparent and painful to watch.
Any perception that the US military has changed their mind and saved Iraq will require to be re-examined once the public gets the real facts of what is happening and that people are suffering now more than ever before. Some of the games that keep these people safe are cards and video games, among others.
The United States nationalism sticks to a standpoint on public opinion by creating fear through the various media houses. They achieve its real goals with little bother for the democratic process.
The United States will perhaps leave with fewer casualties than they had in the Vietnam War, but no less domestic influence and damage to its international standing. The United States is facing within several years a historic defeat in Iraq. This defeat appears set to rebuild the Middle East for the upcoming generation. Middle Eastern governments that relied on the United States as a guarantor of their stability and continued existence will be forced to re-consider their positions and policies.
This defeat to US interests will materialize because the Bush government has promised much bigger and persistent strength to the many Islamic groups. The Islamic group view itself as the foremost part of the army of a global struggle against the dominions of evil made in a corrupt American empire. This worldview while opposing United States does so from the position of Islamic hegemony violated, of consecrated domains infiltrated and invaded by infidels.
Conclusion
After reading John Crawford’s book, “The Last True Story I’ll Ever Tell”, I have come to realize that my thoughts and beliefs about the soldiers in Iraq were very different to the reality of what happens during war and the aftermath.
Cultural life in the society seems to isolate soldiers from the rest of the world. Their integration in society has been difficult with some, like Crawford finding it even more difficult while trying to relate to other members of the society.
I used to think that soldiers going into the war voluntarily or because of the draft had the soldiers thinking, this is a tough job, but you have to do it for your country. Soldiers must go through harsh conditions and hostile situations with the thoughts in the back of their heads thinking that all they want is just to go home and share with their families.
The conditions described in this book have shown that as hard as it is to be in Iraq, the aftermath for soldiers can be potentially worse. The book tells the stories of some things that someone may picture the United States Army doing, the good, and the bad. It gives you more of an inside look at what the regular U.S. soldier feels like during the war, even up to the point when he gets discharged.