Iraqi voters are heading to the polls this Sunday (March 7) for their second parliamentary elections since Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003. While the subject of democracy in Iraq is no doubt controversial, we wanted to mark the occasion by talking to a Green Beret who was in Iraq during the first elections in ’05. Sgt. Terence Schappert (center) is a good friend of mine, by way of his wife, Stefanie Kastel. Terry first enlisted when he graduated from college in 1988 and became a Ranger in the 82nd Airborne. He was on active duty until 1997, mostly in the Special Forces. He re-enlisted after 9/11 and since then, has been deployed three times in Kosovo, Kuwait and Iraq.
Where were you during the first Iraqi elections?
We were in charge of security at an election center in this area west of Mosul in northern Iraq. We did a site survey and we ordered army engineer stuff and barriers to make it really difficult for an IED [improvised explosive device] to get in. We knew this was an important thing, so there was a lot of pressure. We really wanted this to go over really well. We were in charge of a company of Iraqi infantry and we trained the guys on stuff they would need to do during the elections. Because we were American, on election day we were not allowed to be within 300 feet of the election center. So, we just pulled up our vehicles on a hill and observed from a distance. We were in constant communication with the Iraqi guys. We were really worried that day, because the Iraqis would have to be able to deal with it. And it all went off without a hitch.
How many people turned out to vote in your area?
A large portion of the town where we were came out and voted. Quite a few. It was pretty impressive. A lot of women came to vote — more than we thought would. It was pretty close to 50/50 [men and women.]
What was your sense of the Iraqi attitude toward democracy?
The hard sell once you remove the tyrant is convincing the populace that they can control and affect their new lives. This is a new concept for the Iraqi people. You know in America, we believe that you can grab the world and make it your own. Over there, it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s going to be what it is. There’s an Arabic phrase that they say all the time: “Inshallah,” which means “God willing.” We would be going over something, and they would say “Inshallah” and I’d say, “No, no, no. God’s sitting this one out. God will not fill the gas tank for you.” Democracy requires will, it requires active thought, active behavior, an active mindset, as opposed to a fatalistic mindset. And this is a big challenge for them.
We underestimated that mindset, and that is going to be the biggest impediment to progress. They have to have a national Iraqi identity and the idea that “we can affect our future.” You’re putting democratic principles on top of a culture that doesn’t see things this way. That’s the reason why the younger generation will be the ones who take hold of democracy, if it sticks, and if we don’t run out on them. The older generations are probably not going to change much.
What was your relationship with the Iraqi guys you were training?
We used to have very candid conversations. At night, we’d go over to their tent, which was lit with lanterns, and sit on their cots. They called me “Abu Nimmer,” which means “Son of the tiger,” because I have a huge tattoo of a tiger on my back. We formed a really close bond with them. Some of the leaders cried when we parted ways because we were so close.
When I said goodbye to this guy Hussein (pictured in the center, with Terry in the hat on the right) who got a spot in Special Ops, we had tears in our eyes. He was probably a couple years younger than me, but not by a lot. When we first met, I saw by his maturity he was a good leader. He got shit done without making a big deal about it. I was in Iraq in 1990 [during the Gulf War] and I told him I was with the 82nd Airborne and that I fought in Nassiriyah. Turns out, he was in Nassiriyah, too. I wonder how close we were to hurting each other? When we parted, I gave him my address back home and I said, ‘Protect it, guard it.’ If you ever have the opportunity, let me know how you’re doing. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.” We were on opposite teams back in 1990, and now I am trusting this guy with my life. It’s kind of powerful.
What is your hope for Iraq going forward?
I don’t want Iraq to be the United States. I just want the Iraqi people to get a glimpse of a national identity and work toward that and realize, as a country, that they can control their destiny. Even if they can just get a taste of freedom. My hope is that it takes. Peeling back the curtain on a different future. I hope it doesn’t get buried and taken away. They are good human beings and I hope they get a shot at it like we do. People are people; everybody is the same. We all want freedom.
Photo courtesy of Terry Schappert.