“We Are Your New Winter Soldiers” – IVAW Winter Soldiers 2008

Back on March 19th I placed a post, on my site, as well as a few others. I also sent that out to a small e-list I maintain to a few site boards, mostly Veteran, and individuals. I will give you the link and part of that post shortly, but first I would like you to view these closing remarks, from the Winter Soldiers 2008 Testimonies, by Camilo Mejia of Iraq Veterans Against The War.

From The Real News Network

Camilo Mejia, chair of Iraq Vets Against War on GI resistance, the Real News Network Video report.

At these Winter Soldier II Testimonies there were a small group of counterprotestors, once calling themselves ‘gathering of eagles’ now this group, some 30 in number, went under a new banner ‘eagles up’.

Us ‘Nam Vets, since ‘Winter Soldier ’71, {I was in my last few months of my tour and four year Navy hitch when it took place} especially members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and a Spokesperson from VVAW, now Senator John Kerry, two tour ‘Nam Vet, 2nd tour Commanding a Swiftboat Crew, have been putting up with these small groups of disgruntled ‘Nam Veterans, Veterans, but Mostly Non-Veterans, since Vietnam. They’ve put together faulty reports and made up stories, with nothing to back up their slanderous accusations, and have been using same for the years since, a few actually making livings off of all of this.

With all the Investigations, Surveilance, Paid Informants in the Anti-War Movement, SDS, and some Veterans Groups, and much more, under the Nixon Administrations Control, nothing was ever found to substantiate the slanderous charges by the afore mentioned groups and others, from those times to the present, reason they cannot produce any New so called Proof.

Everyone should remember ‘the swftboat veterans for truth’ who came out against the Presidential run of Senator John Kerry, they too have changed their name, now called ‘swift vets and pows for truth’, something about these small groups, they can’t hold onto a name and stick with it. Well does anyone remember what Actual Proof they brought forth to substantiate the charges they were making against Kerry? Hell even the Vietnamesse who were there, and still are, called their blowhard bluff.

You can get some of the Backtract on the swifties charges here at Fact Check, there’s much more for any individual to find who might be interested, unlike those who make the slanderous charges, they don’t Want the Truth!

And what did one Senator John McCain have to say about the ‘swifties’ back than:

McCain :  I think the ad is dishonest and dishonorable. As it is none of these individuals served on the boat (Kerry) commanded. Many of his crewmates have testified to his courage under fire. I think John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam.

Well these same charges are being regurgitated by the small group mentioned above, most aren’t veterans, a few are recent veterans of OIF and or OEF, none served with Kerry, none served with those giving the First Winter Soldier Testimonies, and the charges are being made against the Present Veterans of OIF and OEF, giving Testimony at ‘Winter Soldier ’08’ and again none of the ‘eagles up’ served with any of these soldiers. But let a couple of IVAW Veterans explain:

Vietnam Veterans Against the War respond to protests and accusations from Eagles Up

Vets defend Winter Soldier conferences, the Real News Network Video report.

And to better understand what they were talking about let a couple of these ‘eagles up’ explain:

Eagles Up protest Winter Soldier

Vets in support of current war policy protest against Winter Soldier testimonies

Eagles Up protest Winter Soldier, the Real News Network Video report.

Sooner, rather than later, the small numbers of Current Veterans, that are joining these groups, are going to get the Real Picture, especially as to the rethoric but most importantly the lack of want to help them fight for the benefits etc. they were promised by the Military and this Country.

Now to what I posted on the 19th and abit of that post:

I have a request that I would ask any and all reading this to please do.

This past weekend an Important Historical Event took place, War Comes Home – Winter Soldier II

Listen to a A Montage That Cuts to the Heart of the War and Winter Soldier {mp3}

You can listen to the testimonies Here with photo’s and much more. You can view a number of Video’s, of the testimonies, at The Real News Network along with other outstanding News updates from Iraq. You can also find the testimony Video’s at the site of the Iraq/Afgan Veterans who organized the Truth of Occupation -IVAW as well as much more, along with the ability To Support and Help As They Grow

They have given their Testimonies, those Testimonies, though not carried nor reported as they should have been by the mainstream media, are now in the record as Audio, Video, and Transcripts.

All that is needed now is to get them into the Congressional Record as were the Winter Soldier Investigations of 1971

Immediately following the WSI, Senator George McGovern and Representative John Conyers announced that they were calling for congressional investigations based on the testimony. This announcement was received with skepticism by the veterans, but VVAW representatives agreed to meet with McGovern and Conyers.

The Iraq/Afgan Soldiers who testified requested that a Congressional Investigation be held, most, if not all, who testified this past weekend, also the 40th Anniversary of the My Lai Massacre, which in part sparked the first ‘Winter Soldier Investigations’, are more than willing to bring their testimonies in front of  The Peoples Congress to be Sworn in, Under Oath, as the first ‘Winter Soldier’ to bring better understanding to those who don’t serve, have never served, nor lived in theaters of conflict occupations, the Realities of War, Especially Wars of Choice, Not Need!

These testimonies, like the first ‘Winter Soldier’, cover a wide veriaty of issues as to the military, spoken or understood policies of a combat theater of operation, treatment of returning veterans, treatment of female veterans, hazing within the ranks, treatment of civilian populations, possible atrocities, possible war crimes, what War Is!

Many of us have written our congressional representatives requesting a Congeressional Investigation and Hearing on the testimonies given and any more that will come forward from these failed foreign policies of civilian and military leadership.

I ask that those reading take a few minutes and Also Write, or Call your own Congressional Representatives and request same, to get the sworn testimonies into the public record, The Congressional Record of Fact!

Added abit of highlight to the end for better understanding.

I than continued with the above request and also want:

I’m not quite done yet, with my request to you, though:

Once again small groups have come forth, even before the testimonies started, they were calling these Brave Soldiers, of whom these groups say they ‘Support’, Fakes and Liers, Verbally Spitting on the troops, as happened after Vietnam! Two of these groups, a tiny contingement, 30 to 40 people, of ‘eagles up’, i.e. ‘gathering of eagles’, or whatever next weeks name might be, and ‘move america forward’ were there, outside of DC this past weekend, speaking the same talking points to the few who would listen, there’s a few interview video’s at The Real News Network that will give you the inside to their ideology.

Most of those that start these groups have been doing so for alot of years, mostly since ‘Nam, they claim proof of their rethoric yet when confronted for some reason that ‘proof’ can’t be produced, words of anger and hate are the only thing used.

I would further my request, as many of us all ready have done, that you include these groups, any others you might know of, and those using todays technology passing the same rethoric of false claims and slander to be included in the Congressional Investigation and Hearings!

If they have any first hand proof, of their slanderous charges, than it should be Finally Placed into the Public Record for All To See, to vent, and to dispel!

Let us close the door on this form of Verbal Spitting, especially on the Military Troops they claim to Support, as these troop return home, repeating what was done to us ‘Nam Vets, speaking and living the experiances of War that these groups haven’t.

Have them testify along side those who have served and are more than willing to archive their testimonies into the public record!

Again abit of highlighting to make point.

Please contact your representatives today, and over the next couple of days, and request that congress open investigations and hearings ASAP!!

And for those living in or near New York City:

The Military Project Respectfully Requests: Don’t Leave Him Hanging

Dear Friend of Peace and Justice

Let’s start with a basic statement.

The Troops Have the Power to Stop the War. We must work with them to accomplish this goal.

If you want to end the war and believe that the link between civilian and service member organizers is the key to putting a monkey wrench in the war machine – and vital to bringing the troops home – please join us and other members of the Military Project Organizing Committee at our first conference: Bridging the Gap: Making It Happen on Saturday, April 5th in New York City at Middle Collegiate Church (50 E. 7th St.).

This is an organizers’ conference for people who wish to act together to bridge the gap between civilians and members of the Armed Forces through direct outreach.

The Military Project Organizing Committee acted decisively to initiate the conference (with the assistance of Traveling Soldier  and GI Special  in light of developments in the anti-war movement.

Troops and veterans are speaking out against the war- and refusing missions – more than ever before.

To take advantage of this momentum we must STRIKE NOW and bring the forces together to reach as many service members as possible.

Conference speakers include:

• Clarence Thomas, Local 10, The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, San Francisco on how Iraq Veterans, active duty troops and union members can join together to do what the politicians refuse to do: bring all the troops home now;

• Richard Boyle, Vietnam War Reporter, and author of “Flower of the Dragon,” which recounts the resistance during the war and the breakdown of the U.S. Army in Vietnam will discuss his eyewitness accounts detailing the cause and effect of uprisings throughout the ranks; and

• Daniel Joseph Black, IVAW, on what it means to defend the Constitution and our population from “domestic enemies.” Black states that “If defending requires our disobedience of an autocratic war criminal, then we are so bound by our oath.”

The conference will also feature the moving poetry of Vietnam Veteran Dennis Serdel and the arresting photography of Vietnam Veteran Mike Hastie.

We hope that after reading this letter you will be as generous as your means allow in helping us to cover the many expenses incurred by this historic conference.

As veterans and members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, we cannot stress enough how important it is to show our troops support in their resistance against the war.

Our first priority should be to end this war immediately. Outreach of the sort conducted by the Military Project is vital to bringing this war to an end NOW.

This is the focus of the conference.

And it is an urgent task.

Please send checks or money orders, made payable to the Military Project to:

BOX 126, 2576 BROADWAY

NEW YORK, N.Y.

10025-5657 USA

Thank you for your support-and please contact us if you would like to join us in this work.

Sincerely,

Jeff Englehart, Former Spc., U.S. Army

Member, Military Project Organizing Committee

Member, Iraq Veterans Against the War

Lt. Fabian Bouthillette, USNR

Member, Military Project Organizing Committee

Member, Iraq Veterans Against the War

April 5, 2008: 10 AM

Middle Collegiate Church

50 East 7th St., New York, New York

[Just east of 2nd Avenue]

Narcissism

America,

you are finally reaping what you sow.

From the ” Wall ” in Washington, D.C.

to the collapse of Wall Street.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once wrote:

“No Lie Can Live Forever.”

The Titanic Empire is approaching

the iceberg of lies.

America,

you have bombed,

sent missiles,

or military troops,

into over 30 countries since 1965.

When the American people open their

personal cash registers to see what

they are worth,

there will only be dead American soldiers,

and an infinity of dead innocent civilians

around the world.

That’s what happens when apathy

becomes a virtue.

Fasten your seat belts America,

the swarming locust are coming

home to feed.

Mike Hastie

U.S. Army Medic

Vietnam 1970-71

March 25, 2008