‘I did not join for this’: US servicemen speak out against Syria strike

Many US servicemen are against the looming strike on Syria, Republican Congressman Justin Amash said on Twitter, in an attempt to counter the idea that the country might be overwhelmingly in favor of military action.

Amash made his comments after President Barack Obama’s statement, in which he all but promised a strike in retaliation for the supposed use of chemical agents by the Syrian government.

The Congressman for Michigan backed up his comments with a multitude of retweets from servicemen.

Amash said he had been “hearing a lot from members of our Armed Forces" and said that "the message I consistently hear [is]: Please vote no on military action against Syria."

The US Congress is expected to debate and vote on military action soon after it returns from summer recess on September 9.

Amash has since been re-tweeting anti-intervention comments sent by members and veterans of the US armed forces. Many cite experiences of Iraq and Afghanistan that have steered them in this direction. Here is a selection of some of those tweets:

I've been hearing a lot from members of our Armed Forces. The message I consistently hear: Please vote no on military action against #Syria.

— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) August 31, 2013

@repjustinamash 13 year USAF vet here...thanks for actually appreciating our constitution! Vote no to actions in Syria! #constitution

— Mr. King (@derekking1980) August 31, 2013

@repjustinamash Former Army Ranger. 2 tours in Iraq. 1 tour in Afghanistan. Please vote no on military action in Syria.

— George (@jorge5863) August 31, 2013

@repjustinamash Navy vet here. 9 years. I know you will vote no. Thank you!

— Matt Drennan (@DrennanMatt) August 31, 2013

Likewise, a number of pictures have been appearing on the Internet, purportedly showing US army and navy service personnel’s discontent at the proposed military intervention in Syria.

A Syrian pro-government hacker group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) posted the above picture on the US Marines’ website as an example that not all US soldiers are on board with Obama.

According to the International Business Times, the SEA went onto the marines’ official website, www.marines.com, and ended up defacing it temporarily to post an emotional message of peace to their “brothers-in-arms” and pleading with them to understand that by agreeing to carry out the strike they are fighting against friendlies and helping their own worst enemy, Al-Qaeda.