U.S Involvement in the Iraq War is Ridiculous

It was a hot day in Fallujah, Iraq on November 15, 2004. Packed in their armored humvees, a group of American marines in central Fallujah drove forth towards their collection mission. Risking their lives and knowing that an IED could be run over and destroy any one of their humvees at any moment killing some of their friends or even themselves, they drove on through security checkpoints. Lance Corporal James Swain had volunteered to do security for this mission even though he was an intelligence marine. Perched up in the humvee, manning a mounted machine gun, Swain remained outside once they arrived and the other marines suited up and prepared to enter a building. “Swain identified an insurgent ambush. He immediately opened fire, alerting his fellow marines and suppressing the ambush,” (Connor 1). He did not have proper training in marksmanship to take this action, but he did it anyway firing his M240G in order to alert the others. The running insurgents came around a building heading towards Swain who was still shooting as the marines, knowing Swain’s intentions, fled to a safer position to take further action. Taking a shot in his lower abdomen, Swain fell being mortally wounded as his friends fled to a safe position and the incident escalated to a battle. An insurgent had jumped out from behind a building and shot towards the humvee killing Swain. Exposing himself to an enemy may have cost him his own life, but his “heroic actions saved the lives of fellow marines,” (Connor 1). Though his actions were heroic, it would be an even greater feat if he was here to share the reward. What if Swain didn’t have to give his life on that hot day in Fallujah? What if America didn’t have to be there every time a violent dictator took control? U.S. involvement in foreign issues such as the Iraq War is ridiculous and has been for a while now.

Everyone knows about U.S. involvement in a wide range of issues across the world, because they are too numerous to count or it is likely you are involved in one yourself. We are on every populated continent, helping people with their broad range of issues all the way from violent dictators in the Middle East to starvation and Aids in Africa. Here we raise money for Darfur, the United Nations through UNICEF, we take in AFS students, and we fund childhood cancer cures and other cancer and diseases, all to make the world a better place. Even though some of these causes do not even put a dent in their issues, we keep trying. Just like our cause in Iraq, The War on Terror, is now us just fighting terrorism which will never cease until we eradicate them all. Does anyone ever wonder why we are always the one to be asked to help before anyone else? It is because we are one of the very few countries out there who would selflessly help another country and not take them over in the process. Everyone knows that we are so good at helping, because we do not conquer or take while we are still there afterward.