Canyon Of Heroes Still Lacks Real Heroes: Iraq War Veterans

Stephanie King holds a picture of her uncle, Col. Stephen Scott, who was killed in Iraq in 2008, as she prepares to participate in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP)

While nearly a million Giants fans pack into Lower Manhattan this morning for a parade celebrating the triumph of one billion-dollar corporation over another, veterans of the Iraq war have yet to be honored in the Canyon of Heroes. "If a football team gets a parade, shouldn't our veterans?" asks Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Former Mayor Ed Koch agrees, and tells the Times, "I believe a parade is required, is necessary, and New York City is the place to have it."

In interviews, Mayor Bloomberg has said that America should learn from the mistreatment of Vietnam veterans, but has stopped short of advocating for a parade for Iraq veterans, saying that the decision is out of his hands. "It's a federal thing that we really don't want to do without talking to Washington, and we'll be doing that."

Bloomberg is following the advice of the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who believe a parade is premature. “We simply don’t think a national-level parade is appropriate while we continue to have America’s sons and daughters in harm’s way," a spokesman for one of the Joint Chiefs told the paper. A political science professor at MIT speculates that the military is trying to prevent "Mission Accomplished" moments. “I’m sure that the military is very sensitive to that. If we’re going to have a celebration for the end of the war, let’s make sure that we actually have an end of the war.”

Indeed, the U.S. embassy's staff of 16,000, and thousands more security contractors remain in Iraq after the war's end last month, not to mention the Predator Drones that will continue to fly missions over the country, all while the president attempts to safely draw down operations in Afghanistan.

Still, St. Louis had no problem holding a parade for Iraq veterans last month, and the VFW supports the idea. Christine Quinn released a joint statement with city council members on Thursday:

A citywide celebration recognizing the incredible contribution these soldiers have made in the name of freedom is in order. The sacrifices made by our troops and their families cannot be ignored and deserve to be honored by cities across the nation, New York City first and foremost.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Christopher Robbins in News on February 7, 2012 12:12 PM

Comments [rss]

ktinnyc

I know I'll catch some flack for this but we already have a parade for Iraq war veterans. It happens every year and it's called the Veterans Day Parade.

IvoryJive

I agree completely. The problem is politics:

"Before the invasion in March 2003, polls showed 47-60% of the US public supported an invasion, dependent on U.N. approval.[1] According to the same poll retaken in April 2007, 58% of the participants stated that the initial attack was a mistake.[2] In May 2007, the New York Times and CBS News released similar results of a poll in which 61% of participants believed the U.S. "should have stayed out" of Iraq."

How many New Yorkers want a parade for a war that was actively protested
here? A mistake that cost hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands
of American lives just to topple a dictator based on a family vendetta,
and to secure defense contracts and oil futures for major corporations.

I might agree that our nation's veterans are heroes that deserve praise
and accolades for their sacrifice and their bravery, but I'll be damned
if I'm gonna cheer for Bush's war - it was an appalling misuse of our armed
forces. Just keep it the parades about the veteran's themselves and
leave the missions out of it.

petey2

Where did those protests go when the WH changed? Most of them vanished.

NRafter530

so did the war lol

petey2

Increased troops in deployment and still daily troops dying, yet the protests so few. At least a handful of the protestors legitimately believe in their cause and didn't just vanish when their party of choice got elected.

NRafter530

The parade isn't FOR THE WAR, it's for the END of the war.

IvoryJive

Why not just make the welcome home and honoring of duty for Iraq War veterans part of a special expanded Veteran's Day Parade? I just don't think ticker tape and fanfare is the appropriate expression of gratitude for service specific to this conflict.

NRafter530

That's why I suggested do it when combat in Afghanistan is over. Combine the two. Do it on Veterans Day- works better with the traffic and people have off.

whoknewit

When and if there's a parade, put politics aside. Its about the people, the soldiers, who have sacrificed and not about your political beliefs.

IvoryJive

Exactly. So the parade should have nothing to do with the political conflict the soldiers were involved in, but only their service to their country. There's men an women serving the country all over the world, on many different missions, before and after this war. A parade for veterans is great, but not in the name of the Iraq war.

NRafter530

that's true, but this would specifically be to mark the end of the war(s). I think we should wait until combat in Afghanistan ends but.

shocktheday

The cost for a parade would be a drop in the bucket of what Halliburton, Aegis, WGI, L3 Communications, HSBC and the hundreds of other companies which profited from the wars. Make them pay for it, that's the very least what they should do.

diablofreak

the military? pfffttt.. last i checked they didn't kick tom brady's ass with pigskin. they shot osama in the head with a rifle. giants win more impressive.

/sarcasm

ihateloggingin

How about a parade for people smart enough not to volunteer and risk their lives to fight a meaningless fight?

winning1234

Your life has meaning (or, rather, potential to be meaningful) bc of those "stupid" ppl who volunteer and risk their lives.

ANGRYGOD11

I respect the military and the sacrifices they and their families have made, and continue to do so. However, if Saddam Hussein was still alive and in charge of Iraq, over 3,000 US soldiers would still be alive and we wouldn't be in any greater danger today.

NRafter530

That's true, but that doesn't mean we don't have to show our appreciation to the sacrifices they made- they weren't the ones who decided to go to war.