The Sutras of Abu Ghraib: Notes from a Conscientious Objector in Iraq

by Aidan Delgado

As the planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Aidan Delgado was in the process of enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserve. Two years later, he arrived in Iraq with the 320th Military Police Company. As he witnessed firsthand the brutality of the occupation and the abuse of unarmed Iraqis, Delgado came to believe that war was immoral and ran counter to his Buddhist principles. He turned in his weapon and began the long process of securing conscientious objector status. His book is urgent reading for anyone who cares about American ideals overseas, and for all those who understand why peace is patriotic.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2007

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Aidan in 2005 when he was giving a lot of talks on why he was a Conscientious Objector. He must have been working on this book at the time. He was struggling with a new-Buddhist dilemna that he wasn't doing as much meditation. After reading this book, I could see how that could be a struggle. His Buddhist practice, which included study and meditation, were what kept him sane in the insane world of occupied Iraq.

It was clear then when he said the lack of armor was not as scary as the pain in his heart over carrying a gun. He felt such relief when he put that gun down, the tough time he got from the other soldiers were as nothing compared to it.

It was clear now when I read the book and got more details of how he expressed his misgivings.

Aidan's book is not so much a war memoir as it is an introspection. It is exactly the sort of instrospection that underlines the fact that a spiritually-minded person must separate himself and his spirituality from the deeds he is required to do in war. If you truly deeply in your heart believe it is wrong to kill, then if you are a soldier you must do something to reconcile yourself. The war machine encourages this. You must make the enemy less than human. You must absolve yourself from responsibility by telling yourself you are following orders. You cannot look deeply at how it makes you feel to hurt another, in fact you must learn to like hurting another.

This causes post traumatic stress disorder in soldiers, but is hardly acknowledged to do so.

Aidan could no longer separate himself, with his earnest beginner's mind caught up in the Buddhist way.

Oh, and there are people who are soldiers because they want to hurt people. Aidan witnessed plenty of those.

And then they come home. (That is not part of the book, but is something to think about.)

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book in many ways--the son of a diplomat enlists and is sent to Iraq in 2003 and eventually is assigned with his unit to Abu Ghraib prison. The real conflict is his deepening commitment to Buddhism while wearing a uniform in a war zone. This book was, for me, hard going at first, it lacks the fluent writing of Camilo Mejia's memoir, but the growing disconnect between the writer's beliefs and his self-chosen vocation (he enlisted the morning of September 11, 2001, before the attacks were reported) adds needed tension and Delgado seems to deepen as a person as he declares himself a conscientious objector. Because he speaks of his complicity and struggles, the book is really a coming-of-age story, and the story of a combat veteran's homecoming. Well worth reading.

[MsBrie]

I very much looking forward to reading this book. I may even actually spend money on it. Just heard on Air America Radio Delgado speaking about his experiences in Iraq


FROM AIR AMERICA
Aidan Delgado is one of the few soldiers in the Iraq War whose application for conscientious objector status was granted by the US Military. A member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, he’s been an outspoken critic of the War and has traveled across the country to share the incidents of Iraq civilian abuse he witnesses during his tour-of-duty in Nasariyah and Abu Ghraib prison. He joins us to talk about his book, The Sutras of Abu Ghraib: Notes from a Conscientious Objector in Iraq, to be released in August by Beacon Press. (9:30 PM EST)

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delgado brings the Iraq War into sharp clarity, made even more remarkable by the fact of his moral objection to it. I have long been interested in the ethics and process of conscientious objection, so I was engrossed in this real-life description of the connected logistics and ramifications. Delgado is, for the most part, an honest and earnest reporter, unflinching not only in his condemnation of the Abu Ghraib scandal, but his opposition to violence in general. His is a unique voice in the debate; thankfully, it turns out to be a calm, rational and principled one. No extra points are given for style, but that's hardly the point.

[Elie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friend wrote this book and I suggest, because he is my friend and it is a good book, that you read it. We grew up in Egypt together, then I went to the American University in Cairo and he joined the Marines and volunteered for Iraq. Somewhere in between then and now, he became a conscientious objector, left the US Military and wrote this book.

[Garryvivianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes you look at the war pretty differently.