The Seattle Times

Mar. 22—Nearly two decades ago, Carl Larson served in the Army as American troops toppled Saddam Hussein in a war that ignited home-front protests, claimed the lives of 4,418 U.S. service members by the end of 2010 and unleashed widespread sectarian violence in Iraq.

Now 47, the Snohomish County resident is back in a war zone, this time to help the Ukrainian people in their fierce defense against Russian invaders.

Larson says he has been inspired by what he sees as the stark moral clarity of preventing the slaughter of civilians and thwarting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal of occupying an independent nation.

“This is our generation’s call to duty. Our grandfathers fought and defeated Hitler, and now it’s our turn,” Larson said in a phone interview from Ukraine. “There is no ambiguity here.”

The Russian invasion began Feb. 24, meeting heavy resistance even as Russian missiles and bombing raids have caused heavy civilian casualties. To help “combat the occupiers,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the formation of an international legion for foreign citizens. And by March 7, more than 20,000 people from 52 countries had indicated they would like to join the effort, according to Ukrainian officials.

Larson arrived in the country March 11 and remains committed to the Ukrainian cause. But he also is more wary.

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