US Troops HATE This Iran War Push // Kim Iversen

Something felt off at the recent military parade in Washington, D.C. Troops dragged their boots, botched their cadence, and looked like they were going through the motions. For seasoned observers like former Army Ranger Greg Stoker, it was more than poor form—it was a sign of something deeper: resistance, disillusionment, and flat-out rejection of another Middle Eastern war.

“I’ve never seen anything that sloppy,” Stoker said. “By day five of basic training, you know how to march better than that.” He wasn’t just being critical. What he saw, and what many veterans are feeling, is that enthusiasm for war with Iran is dead on arrival—especially inside the military itself.

Low Morale in the Ranks

Stoker, now a human rights activist and host of Colonial Outcasts, covered the parade for Mint Press News. He reported not just low morale among troops but also a lack of energy from the civilian crowd. The usual patriotic fervor was missing. “It was hot, it was sweaty, and thoroughly unenjoyable,” he said. “There’s just not a lot of enthusiasm for this militarism anymore.”

And why would there be? What’s looming is a unilateral strike on Iran, potentially bypassing Congress and international diplomacy altogether. Unlike the run-up to Iraq in 2003, there’s no fabricated evidence or staged U.N. performance to sell the war. “The mask is off,” Stoker warned. “Nobody I’ve talked to in the military wants to go to war with Iran. They don’t even understand why.”

A Military That’s Seen This Movie Before

The rank and file—especially those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan—know the script. Promises of short campaigns and easy victories unravel into years of chaos, death, and moral injury. They’ve done the counterinsurgency. They’ve seen what regime change really looks like.

“Iran is five times the size of Iraq, and mostly mountainous,” Stoker pointed out. “It would be a hellish field for counterinsurgency ops.” There’s no viable plan for victory—only vague calls to bomb nuclear sites and hope for a magical regime collapse. As one colonel bluntly put it (before being relieved of duty for posting online), the U.S. is acting like Israel’s proxy in a war no one asked for.

From Pride to Protest

That unspoken resistance is manifesting in new ways. The sloppy marching at the parade wasn’t just physical fatigue—it was symbolic. There’s growing unrest among service members who feel used and lied to. Some have even begun exploring legal pathways to exit their contracts. Nonprofits are reporting unprecedented interest in conscientious objector status, especially among those eyeing a potential Iran deployment.

Stoker shared how he met a newly enlisted 18-year-old private who enthusiastically repeated “America First!”—but couldn’t articulate what that meant. That kind of ideological emptiness stands in stark contrast to the older command echelon who’ve already fought and seen how pointless these wars can be.

Fighting the Wrong Battles

It’s not just Iran. Troops are being deployed to police their own citizens during domestic protests, run ICE support, and guard federal buildings. “That’s not what a lot of guys signed up for,” Stoker noted. Many joined expecting to serve their country abroad, not enforce controversial policies at home.

Now they face the possibility of being sent to die in a war with no congressional approval, no public mandate, and no strategic clarity. Even the public isn’t behind it. “The consent required for another intervention just isn’t there,” Stoker emphasized.

Broken Promises, Broken Trust

The frustration isn’t just about strategy—it’s betrayal. Politicians promised less foreign intervention, smaller defense budgets, and a shift toward diplomacy. But those pledges have evaporated, replaced with escalating threats and Orwellian messaging.

The Trump administration’s drift from “America First” to “bomb them into democracy” is more than hypocrisy—it’s a political bait-and-switch, and troops are catching on.

The Uniform Doesn’t Mean Obedience

The old myth says U.S. troops go where they’re told without question. But that narrative is crumbling. Behind the salutes and ceremonies is a military that’s questioning the mission. And when the boots on the ground start dragging their heels, it’s time to ask not what they’re fighting for—but who they’re fighting for.

Because from where they stand, this war isn’t about defending America. It’s about repeating history—and getting burned all over again.

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