"Betrayed"

In the United States, when reading about the Iraqi war we usually find stories about the heroic soldiers who are fighting for our freedom. George Packer takes a different approach in his feature article, “Betrayed”. Packer uses descriptive writing to point out the injustices done to the Iraqi’s by the Americans. The reader really feels like they are reading a firsthand experience of a person’s time in Iraq. Instead of glorifying the American soldiers, Packer points out their unfair treatment to others.

“Betrayed” tells multiple stories of these injustices but Firas’s story made the biggest impact on me. Firas asked to be issued a green card in order to bypass the long lines before entering the Green Zone. (He was translating for the Americans). His request was denied because the card also gave permission to carry a weapon. This story illustrates that despite efforts to prove their loyalty to the United States, safety and security from the American embassy did not extend to them, if anything they contributed to the threat just because they look different.

Americans tend to feel obligated to prove how patriotic they are and refuse to speak poorly of American soldiers. George Packer takes this risk and by doing so informs the readers of the wrong doings taking place in Iraq. By strategically writing this article in a way that reaches the readers heart, perhaps people will be motivated to put an end to this unjust treatment.