Affiliated News
january 7, 2010
HOW THE MILITARY HIDES DISSENT IN THE RANKS
Originally published on AlterNet, Written by Nan Levinson
The military's murky system keeps no accurate count of conscientious
objectors, and likely hides the true extent of disgruntled
service-members.
Ever since Major Nidal Hasan killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood last month, the hunt has been on for a motive, preferably one the Army could have detected and thwarted and still be held harmless. It's a long list, ranging from compassion fatigue to religious militancy, ineptitude to insanity, but it is clear that Hasan was desperate to avoid becoming one of the swarm of soldiers about to be sent to Afghanistan. This includes the possibility that he explored applying for conscientious objector, or CO, status, but Army officials counter that they have no record of any such attempt. Of course they don't. No reliable count exists of how many soldiers consider themselves conscientious objectors. The Army recorded 39 applications in 2007, the last year for which records are complete (and represents a five-year low). About half were approved. Nobody, however, believes Army statistics on the issue, probably not even the Army itself.
> Read the entire article on AlterNet
August 20, 2009
RESISTANCE IS EVERYWHERE - YOUTH RESISTS VIOLENCE IN COLOMBIA
There is a youth movement in Colombia to resist the state's forcing
of Colombia youth to participate in the country's 40 year civil war.
One organization, Red Juvenil de Medellín,
trains youth in nonviolence and civil disobedience and supports young
men who refuse to be a part of the armed police, military, or illegal
groups.
One organizer said,
> Read more of the story from the War Resisters League“We are here as a group of young people imagining that a different world is possible … because we think the same way, and because we are celebrating our right to think freely. For me, injustice doesn’t help me at all, and I will not be part of continuing it.”
MAY 27, 2009
TEXAS SOLDIER VICTOR AGOSTO REFUSES AFGHANISTAN DEPLOYMENT
As President Obama increases the number of troops in Afghanistan from
32,000 to 68,000, members of the military are beginning to resist the
Afghanistan surge like they did in Iraq. And they need your support!
Victor Agosto is one of those who resisting his deployment to
Afghanistan. On the bottom of his military counseling statement he
wrote the following:
"There is no way I will deploy to Afghanistan. The occupation is immoral and unjust. It does not make the American people any safer. It has the opposite effect."
Agosto has served in the Army since 2005 and has served one tour in Iraq. But he is now openly resisting the deployment to Afghanistan and is ready to face the consequences of his actions. (also read the story of Travis Bishop, another Fort Hood soldier resisting deployment to Afghanistan)
> learn more about how you can support Victor Agosto
MAY 13, 2009
WINTER SOLDIER HEARING HELD IN PASADENA, CA
On Sunday, May 10, Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan gave testimony
about their service in Iraq, their treatment after returning home, PTSD and
other issues in Winter Soldier Southwest. Members of Military Families
Speak Out and Veterans For Peace also testified.
Read the report back from VFP Member Horace Coleman: "You’d think that a day listening to what most people avoid
acknowledging would be hazardous to your weekend. However, the crowd
leaving after the Question & Answer session seemed uplifted.
Perhaps it was seeing and hearing intelligent, articulate and informed
war veterans who’d walked the walk and performed more practical
patriotism in harsh conditions than most war hawks and arm chair
patriots ever would.
"Maybe it was people saying in front of God and every one that they’d
drunk some government Kool-Aid, experienced pain, loss and fallen down
but gotten up again and were moving on. It could have been the call to
abandon partisan politics and unite to forward common goals good for
the country."
MAY 7, 2009
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DROPS APPEAL IN WATADA CASE
FORT
LEWIS, WA, May 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department said it
decided to drop its appeal of a judge's ruling that a Fort Lewis,
Wash., Army officer cannot face court-martial twice.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday granted the department's request to drop its appeal of a federal judge's ruling that the second court martial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada for his refusal to go to Iraq with his brigade would be double jeopardy and violate Watada's constitutional rights, the Seattle Times reported Thursday.
Even if the Justice Department abandons its court action, a Fort Lewis spokesman said Watada could still go before a military tribunal for two other counts of conduct unbecoming an officer.
The appeals court did not dismiss those counts that stemmed from two interviews Watada gave in 2006 in which he criticized President George W. Bush for betraying the American people's trust and said he was ashamed to wear his Army uniform because of Bush's conduct, the Times said.
"At this point the leadership at Fort Lewis is considering a full range of judicial and administrative options, which could range from court-martial to administrative actions and discharge," said Fort Lewis spokesman Joe Piek said.
Watada was assigned to a desk job at Fort Worth during the proceedings.
Watada's first court martial in February 2007 ended in a mistrial. Watada's attorneys sued in federal court to block a second proceeding.
JANUARY 14, 2009
FACTS OF INVOLUNTARY ACTIVATION FROM THE IRR
By Benji Lewis, Courage to Resist
"I am Benji Lewis. I deployed to Iraq twice in 2004 and 2005 and was
discharged honorably in 2007. Recently I have been involuntarily
activated from the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) by the U.S. Marine
Corps in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, an activation that I have
been publicly refusing.
"The IRR is an inactive group of service members who still have time remaining on their signing agreements and are eligible to call up in states of emergency. The current state of emergency is the open-ended Global War on Terror that includes the occupation of both Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Because of falling reenlistment levels, the United States is finding it difficult to procure sufficient manpower in its efforts overseas. Thus the U.S. government is finding it necessary to reactivate members from the IRR to stave off its shortage of personnel. Thousands of individuals are now being faced with the decision to reactivate and forgo the lives they have built since their discharge. I am ignoring my orders and encouraging others in the IRR to make an informed decision on whether or not they should do the same."
DECEMBER 10, 2008
COFFEE STRONG - COFFEE HOUSE NEAR FORT LEWIS HOLDS OFFICIAL OPENING IN NOVEMBER
On Saturday, November 15th Coffee Strong hosted its first ever concert!
Baltimore Hip-Hop extraordinaire Son
of Nun headlined the night, which also included Outlook, Ill
Intent and Eprhyme.
Seventy people attended the concert, and everyone was excited by the quality of
the acoustics and atmosphere at the shop. Click
here to see a youtube video of highlights from the show.
This is the first of many concerts at Coffee Strong - mark you calendar for our next show on Saturday, December 6th at 8pm. The lineup for the 6th includes President Kennedy is Assassinated, Power, Sixes, Killing The Masses, and Fianders. If you know of a band or artist that you think would be a draw for soldiers please let us know!
On Sunday, November 16th over fifty donors and volunteers gathered at the shop for a grand opening celebration. National Lawyers Guild President Marjorie Cohn spoke briefly about the importance of the new G.I. Coffeehouse Movement while devoted volunteers and donors enjoyed good food and conversation. Thank you to all of those who attended and made a contribution to this important project!
Coffee Strong is the second G.I. Coffeehouse to open in the country since the Vietnam War. A Different Drummer Cafe, a joint project of Citizen Soldier and Vietnam Veterans Against the War, located in Watertown, NY near Fort Drum opened three years ago.
In the coming months two more coffeehouses are slated to open - Under the Hood in Killeen, Texas near Fort Hood, and The Norfolk OffBase near Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. Plans are underway for a joint national speaking and media tour for these four projects, as well as to help seed funds for future coffeehouses.
december 3, 2008
CASEY PORTER POSTS FROM IRAQ
Casey Porter, member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, is serving his
second tour in Iraq after being stop-lossed. He is from the Fort Hood
area and is posting videos from Iraq.
JUNE 5, 2008
Justice for LaVena Johnson
July 19, 2005, LaVena Johnson died near Balad, Iraq. The military told
her family that it was a self-inflicted, non-combat related injury - or
that she committed suicide. And they said that she did it with an
M-16. After viewing the black and white copies of crime scene photos,
viewing multiple bruises on her body, and speaking to different
military personnel as they prepared for her burial, her father and
uncles realized that LeVena had been murdered.
Eight days before her twenthieth birthday, LaVena was beaten, raped, set on fire, shot, and left in a contractor's tent in Iraq. Her family has been fighting for justice for LaVena for over two years now.
How can you help?
Congressman Lacy Clay has been working to assist the Johnson family, but according to LaVena's father, the Arms Services Committee still needs convincing to help find the perpetrators of this crime. You can help by calling Congressman Ike Skelton, Chairman of the Arms Services Committe, and tell him that LaVena Johnson deserves justice. Tell him to investigate the death of LaVena Johnson. We demand better treatment for our soldiers! Skelton's Washington D.C. phone number is 202-225-2876. You can also email his administrative assistant, Kyle Wilkins, at kyle.wilkins@mail.house.gov.
Learn more:
Article by Col. Ann Wright - "Is There An Army Cover Up of Rapes and Murders of Army Women?"
KMOV - Parents question their daughter's death in Iraq
YouTube - Hear Dr. Johnson talk about his daughter's death at the VFP Convention, 2007
MAY 27, 2008
War Resister Corey Glass loses bid to stay in Canada
US Iraq war resister Corey Glass was told today that his application to stay in Canada for "humanitarian and compassionate" reasons has been rejected. He has been ordered to leave Canada by June 12. If this order is allowed to stand, Corey will be the first Iraq War resister to be deported from Canada.
* UPDATE * House of Commons Agrees: War Resisters Can Stay in Canada
Action Alert: Sign the "Dear Canada: Let U.S. War Resisters Stay!" letter. Courage to Resist will immediately send three letters to Canadian officials on your behalf via International First Class Mail.
(Polls show that 64% of Ontarians believe resisters should be allowed to stay.)APRIL 9, 2008
Take Action - Call on Senators to End the War and Occupation
There is a way for
Congress to end the war in Iraq NOW.
Military Families Speak Out is launching a campaign this week to call on
Senators who claim to oppose the war in Iraq - including Senators Clinton and
Obama -- to lead and sustain a filibuster that will prevent the Senate from
passing President Bush's latest funding request to continue the war in Iraq.
Sign the MFSO petition
Click here to download our leaflet from our website and pass it out at meetings, concerts, baseball games, the post office -- anywhere people gather in your town.
If you have a blog or a website, add a links to MFSO's "Call to Action" and the petition.
NOVEMBER 15, 2007
IVAW Kicks Off Winter Soldier Campaign
Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War are re-igniting a popular Vietnam War investigation called the Winter Soldier Campaign. In 1971, members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit, Michigan to share their horrors of Vietnam.
The courage of those 125+ veterans speaking out has sparked today's veterans to do the same,. March 13 - 15, 2008, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War will be gathering in Washington D.C, along with Iraqi and Afghan survivors, to share their stories about the atrocities happening in today's wars.
If you are a have been deployed to Iraq of Afghanistan, you can participate in the Winter Soldier Campaign of 2008.
Others can support IVAW's actions by signing the statement of support.
Majority of Iraqi Lawmakers Now Reject Occupation - May 9, 2007
CodePINK plans silent vigil crossing Golden Gate Bridge - 10 arrested - January 4, 2007
Vermont soldier offers troops baked goods, as a way to speak out against war - November 19, 2006
Cindy Sheehan joins protest at Yongsan Garrison gate - November 23, 2006
Iraq Veterans help rebuild houses in New Orleans - November 29, 2006
Peace Groups Says FBI Monitered their Emails - October 27, 2006
Rep. Waters to the President: Call the Violence in Iraq what it really is - A Civil War - October 16, 2006
Bush accepts Iraq, Vietnam comparison - October 19, 2006
