A New View on War: From Duty to Revenge

In 2005, while working on Wall Street, a young man read about an insurgent who blew himself up in Iraq, killing 18 children. That event made him see the violence as pure evil and convinced him he needed to act against it. He later joined the U.S. forces in Samarra, believing his presence could help stop that kind of brutality.

Years later, he spoke about the current conflict in Iran. He said the goal now is “to unleash death and destruction from the sky all day long.” He claims U.S. troops are no longer fighting for justice but seeking revenge against a relentless enemy, turning the war into a retaliation loop.

For a long time, U.S. leaders have described their military actions as heroic missions to spread freedom and democracy. Even though the reality was more complex, they portrayed soldiers as saviors bringing hope to oppressed peoples.

The man’s change in perspective highlights how the reasons given for war can shift dramatically over time. What began as a moral mission to protect lives has become a narrative of retribution, raising questions about the true purpose behind military interventions.