I personally think this is about war in a more general sense. I believe the Iraq war is part of this song but it is commenting on some parts of war that have repeated themselves throughout history.
The first three lines talking about men, most likely soldiers, who are now worn down and following orders but without much thought involved (noted from the "blank stares"). This song is also talking about how a war is going on without an "honest reason" (which points to the fact this song definitely could relate to the Iraq war in some people's minds).
The next few lines are continuing to talk about how the war or wars going on are meaningless and the soldiers have changed roles. Originally supposed to be liberators or heroes they now have become pawns for a higher power who doesn't have honest intentions and they want to understand or "justify" what they've become, which is tools for a leader. (Sanctify what I've become, Justify what I've become).
Next the song talks about how these malicious intentions are trying to be hidden (a race to save face). Also in this line it talks about how the war has gotten out of hand and transformed from a heroic salvation to an oppression of the weak (nothing now is what it was meant to be).
Next, the song is commenting on how soldiers are once again merely instruments of destruction for a dictatorial leader to use for his own benefit and that they will be sacrificed for their mission. This mission is supposed to be some kind of "greater good" but from the tone of the song it sounds like a deception made by the leader for positive reputation.(Take your place in line to be ground by the gears of the masterpiece)
Finally the song repeats a few lines and says "you anoint the king, I'll burn everything else to ashes" which is emphasizing this point that the King or leader is just destroying everything around him for his own personal gain while keeping his own extravagance.
So this song could be about the Iraq war (since many view it as meaningless) or many other wars over the course of history with the same issue of a leader with not so heroic intentions.
But this is just my opinion and I'm probably wrong about most of it but with the vagueness of their lyrics you can get a lot of different meanings out of a Lamb of God song.
I personally think this is about war in a more general sense. I believe the Iraq war is part of this song but it is commenting on some parts of war that have repeated themselves throughout history.
The first three lines talking about men, most likely soldiers, who are now worn down and following orders but without much thought involved (noted from the "blank stares"). This song is also talking about how a war is going on without an "honest reason" (which points to the fact this song definitely could relate to the Iraq war in some people's minds).
The next few lines are continuing to talk about how the war or wars going on are meaningless and the soldiers have changed roles. Originally supposed to be liberators or heroes they now have become pawns for a higher power who doesn't have honest intentions and they want to understand or "justify" what they've become, which is tools for a leader. (Sanctify what I've become, Justify what I've become).
Next the song talks about how these malicious intentions are trying to be hidden (a race to save face). Also in this line it talks about how the war has gotten out of hand and transformed from a heroic salvation to an oppression of the weak (nothing now is what it was meant to be).
Next, the song is commenting on how soldiers are once again merely instruments of destruction for a dictatorial leader to use for his own benefit and that they will be sacrificed for their mission. This mission is supposed to be some kind of "greater good" but from the tone of the song it sounds like a deception made by the leader for positive reputation.(Take your place in line to be ground by the gears of the masterpiece)
Finally the song repeats a few lines and says "you anoint the king, I'll burn everything else to ashes" which is emphasizing this point that the King or leader is just destroying everything around him for his own personal gain while keeping his own extravagance.
So this song could be about the Iraq war (since many view it as meaningless) or many other wars over the course of history with the same issue of a leader with not so heroic intentions.
But this is just my opinion and I'm probably wrong about most of it but with the vagueness of their lyrics you can get a lot of different meanings out of a Lamb of God song.