Category: War

In an attempt to reenergize the U.S. antiwar movement, activists from the American Friends Service Committee, U.S. Labor Against the War, and veterans against the war have formed a steering committee, the National Assembly. The Assembly’s first act is to call for a national meeting of antiwar activists, to be held on June 27-28, 2008, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. All antiwar coalitions, organizations, and activists are welcome to attend.

Endorsers of the National Assembly include the Iraq Moratorium, Veterans for Peace, A.N.S.W.E.R., UFPJ, the National Lawyers Guild, Progressive Democrats of America, AfterDowningStreet, Cindy Sheehan, Howard Zinn, Ramsey Clark, Scott Ritter, and many others.

The position of the assembly is that there must be an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Since there is no mechanism such as a national referendum to force a withdrawal, the American people are left with mass action in the streets. It is believed by the organizers that the best way to prepare such mass mobilizations is through “democratic and open conferences that function transparently, with all who attend having the right to vote.”

You can endorse the National Assembly, and details of the conference and their positions can be found at their website.

Please cross-post this wherever you like.

Iceland topped Vision of Humanity’s Global Peace Index of 140 countries that analyzes how peaceful they are regarding international policy and domestic conditions, The Financial Times reported Tuesday.

Because of continued violence since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, Iraq ranked last in the index developed by the organization based in Australia.

So says annual study ranking nations on how peaceful they are

Every year our Department of Defense budget grows to ever Huge Proportions and we’re givin the simpleminded reason that we’re getting our National Security Protection, and we simply except, no questions asked, don’t even get upset when corruption within is brought out, or outrageous costs for items we could purchase offshelf cheaper in a handware store.

Many have seen this YouTube Video of the barracks conditions for returning soldiers at Fort Bragg, or at least heard about it, which has brought about this,

Daniel Zwerdling, of NPR, continues his reporting on the Treatment of our returning Military Troops, you know who they are, maybe, those who those ‘Support The Troops’ magnetic ribbons, now rarely seen, are meant for. Or the significance of those ‘Lapel Flag Pins’ the politicians and some others harp about, the politicians who Praised a Coming Invasion of anothers little Country but didn’t have the the time, nor will, to do their jobs in Oversite, Funding, and simple Investigation!

There’s a formidable group of warriors out there – and they’re fighting America’s military. Spouses of troops who have come back from the war with serious mental health problems have made it their mission to force the military to give the troops the help they need.

In the process, they’ve transformed themselves from “the silent ranks,” as the military traditionally calls wives, into vocal and effective activists.

Remember this photo? I’m sure you’ve seen it a dozen times as it’s made it’s way around the web. Her name is Katherine Cathey and she’s a mother, a mother of a son who never met his father Marine 2nd. Lt. Jim Cathey. Katherine mentions this photo in a video, of which I’ll give you the link to in a moment, one you should view.

E. J. Dionne has a bit of good news today in his editorial in today’s Daily News Record, “Issues This Year ‘Moving the Democrats’ Way.” He supports Barack Obama’s new political voice by pointing out the recent election success of Democrat Don Cazayoux in Louisiana.  It seems that the Republican Party has had the 6th District in their pockets for 33 years.  They ran the usually successful campaign of “slash and burn,” “guilt by association,” and “tax and spend.”  They lost.

Author Colby Buzzell Being Sent Back to Iraq

Colby Buzzell, author of My War: Killing Time in Iraq one of the best Iraq memoirs out there–has been called up from the IRR and will be returning to Iraq. For reasons that I’ve specified in the past, this is utter horseshit. Our country is in sad shape when cowards like Matthew Continetti and Jason Mattera are allowed to refuse to serve–instead choosing to cheer from the bench–while people like Colby Buzzell are forced to go involuntarily again and again.

This is nothing less than a backdoor draft. And it’s wrong. We need to either have a draft or not have a draft. But one way or the other, these IRR mobilizations need to stop.

Here’s part of Buzzell’s take on his own situation (though you should go read the whole thing in the San Francisco Chronicle:

SNIP

Mark your calendars, History on our Military Occupations will, sadly, be made once again, as the Conflict Rages, the Truth be told!

Below you will find cuts from an IVAW Newsletter along with some well deserved recognition on the airing of the ‘Winter Soldier Testimony’ on March 14th to the 16th 2008.

Imagine a future in which the United States has been invaded and occupied by China.  Imagine that Chinese forces speeding through downtown Chicago open fire in an intersection and kill your son, as he sits in the passanger seat of your car.  Now imagine that the American Branch of the Chinese Government offers you money to make up for it.

Imagine that you say to the Chinese official holding out the cash, “I don’t want your money.  I want you to think American life is precious.”

According to an article in the LA Times headlined Blackwater shooting highlights a U.S., Iraq culture clash, you are weird and hard to understand; the product of an alien culture.

Seven veterans under VA’s care commit suicide

They served their country honorably but after risking their life in combat abroad, coping with coming home was too much. In the last three months seven servicemen being treated by Spokane’s VA Hospital have committed suicide.