Voices of Veterans: An Oral History of Soldier Attitudes toward the Enemy in Afghanistan

The controversial Vietnam antiwar documentary, Hearts and Minds (1975), closes with commentary from General William Westmoreland. The general’s conviction that the Vietnamese lacked emotion and concern for human life was juxtaposed with visceral scenes from a Vietnamese funeral. The dramatic film raised an issue later acknowledged by Defense Secretary McNamara and others. U.S. policy during the Vietnam conflict was driven by a “profound ignorance” of America’s enemy. A similar problem presents itself in the recent Global War on Terror that is directed against a nebulous group of “terrorists” or regional cells of Al Qaeda. Commentators on the left might identify “insurgents,” while the far right sees “Islamo-fascists.” None of these labels help to clarify the history, politics or motives of the people with whom the United States is at war. Confusion regarding the enemy exists at the highest levels of government. National Security Advisor Jones insists that al Qaeda in Afghanistan is “very diminished” and that the return of the Taliban is unlikely. When President Obama addressed the soldiers at West Point in 2009, he acknowledged that there was “no imminent threat” to the Afghanistan government, yet articulated an “overarching goal” to defeat “al Qaeda,” its “extremist allies,” and the “insurgents” in the country. While the President sought to clarify the mission, it is unclear whether or not soldiers view the enemy in these same broad terms. This paper is a preliminary investigation into veteran and soldiers perceptions of the enemy. To what degree do soldiers’ viewpoints toward the enemy alter the “extremists” and “insurgents” narrative? Based on oral history interviews with veterans and soldiers, this paper is a tentative exploration into U.S. soldiers’ perceptions of the history, politics and motives of the enemy. The views of today’s volunteer soldiers will also be compared to conscripted GIs during Vietnam.