Ben Rubio: None of Us Were Like This Before

Ben Rubio

None of Us Were Like This Before
By Joshua Phillips

(9/10)


None of Us Were Like This Before

None Of Us Were like This Before is a great book. It’s a story about soldiers changing from thugs to men, and it also illustrates that the damaging legacy of torture is not only to bear by the detainees, but also by American soldiers and the country to which they’ve returned. The soldiers punish the detainees if they disobey them. It’s kind of harsh because they tie their hands up and tie them to the highest rung on the jail bars and they won’t let them sleep. They’ll put loud and noisy music close to their ears. Adam’s mother is upset by what they have done to the Iraqi detainees, but after they talk she understood what troubled Adam. She wanted to take Adam to Las Vegas, but Adam refused to. He said he wouldn’t handle the noise. After the vacation, he went to Alaska for some training and didn’t like it there- he’d rather go to Iraq because he thinks that he has more purpose there. He’s thinking twice whether to stay or go back home and be with his loved ones, but Adams mom asked him what he will do there. “What’s your plan for attack?” She made Adam realize that it was his dream since he was still a kid, and then he stayed put in Alaska. In August 2004, Adam’s mom got a call from the US forces letting her know that something tragic happened. She’s assuming that Adam survived. So the book tells how the US forces turn to torture. It tells how a group of ordinary soldiers , ill trained for responsibilities forced upon them, turned to degradation and abuse. They believe that torture was both effective and necessary.

I chose this book because I want to know more about the real life of the soldiers. My great grandfather is a veteran from World War II. He fought for America. He is still alive but doesn’t talk much about his experiences. I have four uncles that belongs to the Philippine Army, they haven’t experience an international war yet because Philippines doesn’t get involve in big wars, but they fight for the law. They fight the rebels who are trying to take over the government.