Including the Persian Gulf intervention, the 11 years of sanctions, the no-fly zones, the post-9/11 invasion and and occupation, and the post-occupation bombing, the U.S. government has killed, injured, and maimed several hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens.

There is also the massive destruction of homes, businesses, automobiles, infrastructure, and other property in Iraq.

There are also the Iraqis who were rounded up, tortured, sexually abused, or executed, including those at Abu Ghraib.

Finally, today there are U.S. presidential candidates who are practically foaming at the mouth in the hope that they will have the opportunity to order U.S. troops to wreak even more death and destruction on Iraq, this time under the rational of attacking ISIS.

Through it all, the American people have patriotically praised the troops, thanking them for their service in Iraq, expressing gratitude for protecting our rights and freedoms.