American Veterans Speak Out
No more silence on U.S. complicity in the Gaza genocide
Our Government’s Dirty Hands
As an American veteran, there’s a certain level of expectation that we will remain loyal to the narrative we were fed in the military — that our interventions overseas were always justified, that we were protecting freedom. But let’s call it what it really is, U.S. militarism is not about freedom. It’s about control, power, and profit. And nowhere is this clearer than in the decades-long support of Israel’s occupation and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The war crimes being committed against the Palestinian people are not isolated incidents. These are systematic attacks enabled by U.S. funding and military aid. We veterans, who once believed in the fight for democracy, can no longer turn a blind eye to what is happening. And I, along with countless others in the Veterans for Peace movement, refuse to be silent any longer.
The U.S. government’s unwavering support for Israel is not based on moral high ground, despite what they want us to believe. Every missile that rains down on Gaza, every bomb that flattens a home, every Palestinian life snuffed out — it all happens with the full backing of U.S. dollars and military equipment. If we are to hold other regimes accountable for human rights violations, how can we ignore what is happening in Gaza?
The billions of dollars sent to Israel each year are not just funding “defense” — they are directly contributing to the displacement, destruction, and systematic eradication of the Palestinian people. Let’s not mince words, the support for Israel’s actions in Gaza is complicity in genocide.
I served in the military, and like many others, I believed in the ideals of protecting democracy and freedom. But what I witnessed — what so many of us veterans have seen firsthand — shows a very different reality. War is ugly. It strips away the illusions of righteousness, leaving only the cold hard truth. Our government is not acting in defense of freedom, but in pursuit of power. And it is long past time we, as veterans and Americans, call out the hypocrisy and injustice.
As members of the armed forces, we took an oath to defend the Constitution and protect the people of this nation. But we have another duty as well — to call out injustice wherever it occurs, and that includes holding our own government accountable. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a moral stain on our country, and we can no longer stand by while innocent lives are taken with weapons bearing our flag.
Silence is Not an Option
Too many veterans have been silenced — by fear, by guilt, by the overwhelming weight of the things we’ve witnessed. But we can’t afford to remain quiet any longer. Our silence only emboldens those in power, allowing them to continue their campaign of destruction under the guise of “defense.” It’s time for us to rise up, to make our voices heard, and to say enough is enough.
Veterans are uniquely positioned to speak out against these atrocities. We’ve seen the reality of war. We’ve lived it. And we know that the destruction in Gaza is not about self-defense — it’s about occupation, domination, and the systematic removal of an entire people.
Veterans for Peace Vice President Adrienne Kinne recently penned an open letter to Vice President Kamala Harris, calling for a permanent ceasefire with food and medical aid to Gaza, and an end to U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflicts in Palestine and Ukraine. This letter is just one part of a larger movement calling for accountability from our government. It’s time to take this call further.
To my fellow veterans, activists, and concerned citizens: this is your call to action. Now is the time to speak out, to organize, to demand an end to U.S. complicity in the Gaza genocide. The longer we wait, the more lives are lost. The Palestinian people deserve our solidarity, and we must do everything in our power to support them.
This is not just about politics — this is about human lives. This is about standing on the right side of history and refusing to be complicit in the ongoing slaughter of innocent people.
Join us in raising your voice. Let’s put an end to the silence. Let’s hold our government accountable. Let’s stand for peace, for justice, and for the Palestinian people. Free Palestine!
