Veterans reflect on war in Iraq; Maine League hosts forum

FARMINGTON - The war in Iraq has been a costly and frustrating effort, according to forum speakers Adam Cote of Portland and Alex Cornell du Houx of Brunswick, who shared their experiences and reflected on the past five years of war Wednesday at the University of Maine at Farmington.

The forum was held by the League of Young Voters with the UMaine Farmington student group Sea-Change.

Most audience questions revolved around those returning from war and how they are treated.

A third of all homeless people are veterans, many suffer job losses, drink too much and test positive for drugs and many face post traumatic stress disorder, the speakers said.

"In their heads they think when they get back ... everything will be perfect," Cote said of soldiers serving in Iraq. But about three months after their return reality sets in, often causing employment and marriage issues, he said.

"While people speak of supporting the troops, historically they are forgotten within a few years of returning," said a third forum speaker, Scott Erb, a professor of political science at UMF. Supporting the troops includes taking care of them when they return, he said.

Cote served in Bosnia and then in Iraq in 2004 where he worked to rebuild schools and hospitals. He created the "Adopt an Iraq Village" program that distributed clothing, toys and household items to villages. A series of newspaper articles resulted in 1,600 packages forwarded to him from Maine, he said.

His most terrifying experience happened when a suicide bomber appeared in a chow tent in 2004. A large refrigerator unit blocked the worst of the explosion from him.

"What bothered me the most," he said, "was that it didn't have to happen."

Both men agreed that there was also a lack of people to do the job.

Du Houx, raised in Solon, spoke of his frustration in Iraq with the lack of progress and low credibility of soldiers.

The war has also taken its toll on Maine in regard to the 39 lives lost and the financial burden, he added.

Erb told the audience he thought the U.S. would find a way to withdraw from Iraq.

"The U.S. will wash their hands and say we tried ... a tragedy ... we broke something we can't fix, although the American soldiers tried to do good," he said. "Iran is gaining influence and waiting for the U.S. to leave."

The president's plan to bring democracy to the Mideast is not an easy one to achieve if Americans do not understand the history and culture of the countries, he said.

"Americans have a misconception that everyone wants to be like Americans and they should do it our way because we are the leaders of the West and they should follow us," he said.

How the U.S. deals and gets along with other countries reflects the lack of understanding that not everyone has the same wants or goals, he added.