Iraq Vets Come Out In Force Against War Crimes Diary Entry by Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo | |    |
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One veteran said that the war in Iraq was not properly covered because too many journalists had been killed. Those who were imbedded seemed more pro-war than those not, and many of those not pro-war, were allegedly killed or wounded at a much higher ratio than those in WW II which numbers of troops and enemies were in the range of 40 million in uniform and 40 million killed compared to this war of some 250,000 in uniform on both sides and some 1.5 million killed. How many dead American troops who were once strongly in favor of the war, which then turned against it and died, like Pat Tillman? (Was Pat Tillman Killed By Friendly Fire Or Assassinated Because of His Changed Views On The War?)Were they targeted by Bushites? Some of the veterans feel that many "imbedded" reporters were bought off with perks if they played the party line. Amazing how little it takes to buy the souls of some people, isn't it?
The Iraq Veterans against the War group insists that the stories coming from the administration and to level military, that the atrocities committed in Iraq were rare and by a few rogue soldiers, was a myth. They said that the massacre of an entire family of Iraqis in the town of Haditha was not the isolated incident, politicians, would have the public think. The abuses were, they say, part of a pattern of "an increasingly bloody war," and, for some, intentionally so.
June 5, 2007 at 17:41:45
Guantánamo Trials End In Unequivocal Defeat For Bushites
As I wrote long ago right here on OEN, were the stories of the alleged abuses by the mercenaries, the lack of discipline, the attitude of winking at alleged atrocities, the sporting shooting and strafing, bombing and the stories of Americans and Brits disguised as Arabs trying to set off bombs in residential neighborhoods, apparent attempts to provoke more violence so that violent crackdowns would appear justified in order to keep the troops there so the oil could be stolen from the Iraqi's.
June 17, 2007 at 06:58:54
Americans and Brits Disguised As Arabs Caught Seeking to Detonate Bomb In Baghdad Residential Area?
An old story with new questions, of a Journalist killed and another wounded in an escape from kidnapping, but by American National Guardsmen and with a report from the Military which whitewashes the event, with a story witnesses say are lies.
November 20, 2007 at 10:48:34
Journalist's Rescue Amidst The Killing of Italian Hero, Revisited
October 28, 2007 at 14:31:59
Is State Department Cover-up a Criminal Obstruction of Justice?
The following statement was too often heard and scoffed at to be taken seriously though made the night of the shooting: "Vehicle traveling at high speed refused to stop at a check point." [soldiers] "attempted to warn the driver to stop by hand and arm signals, flashing white lights, and firing warning shots...when the driver didn't stop the soldiers shot into the engine block which stopped the vehicle," and Pentagon declined to talk with 60 Minutes Wednesday. Eye witnesses allegedly unanimously disagreed with that "statement."
Now we kill people for alleged traffic violations? Oh, yes, car bombs, many of which can be detected by sophisticate electronic equipment and dogs and which could have been warded off by proper armor, which was lacking in the phony "War on Terrorism" which is a euphemism for fascist oil grabbing under the cover of mass murder and liars about why we went into war in the first place. Why did we? Evil Republicans and gutless Democrats, too cowardly to say no to the fascist elements which forced the invasion, that is why.
August 12, 2007 at 10:22:57
Terror Part Un! The War on Terror Is A Faux Issue!
One soldier, Sergeant Logan Laituri, who served in Iraq from 2004 to 2005 became a conscientious objector and was thus discharged, said, "The problem that we face in Iraq is that policymakers in leadership have set a precedent of lawlessness where we don't abide by the rule of law, we don't respect international treaties." Laituri said that the precedent of lawlessness makes itself felt in the rules of engagement handed down by commanders to front line soldiers. When he was stationed in Samarra, he said one of his fellow soldiers shot an unarmed man while he walked down the street.
"The problem is that that soldier was not committing a crime as you might call it because the rules of engagement were very clear that no one was supposed to be walking down the street," he said. "But I have a problem with that. You cannot tell a family to leave everything they know so you can bomb the shit out of their house or their city. So while he definitely has protection
under the law, I don't think that legitimates that type of violence."
Iraq Veterans Against the War called the gathering "Winter Soldier," after a quote from Thomas Paine, who wrote in 1776: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
April 21, 2007 at 09:35:45
The Wall, Which May Be Designed To Ignite a World War!
Organizers claim that video and photographic evidence will be displayed, and testimony given before and panels, which will then be broadcast, live on Satellite TV and streaming video on ivaw.org.
"Winter Soldier" was designed to resemble a similar "Outing of Evil," held by Vietnam Veterans nearly 40 years ago, where atrocities such as the My Lai massacre had fused popular opposition to the war, but even back then, as now, under a democratic presidency, politicians and military insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions. In comparison/ratio to the numbers of troops and casualties, the proportion may be far greater now.
"Initially even the My Lai massacre was denied," said Gerald Nicosia, author of "Home to War" which brightly illuminates a detailed history of the Vietnam veterans' movement. "The U.S. military has traditionally denied these accusations based on the fact that 'this is a crazy soldier' or 'this is a malcontent' - that you can't trust this person. And that is the reason that Vietnam Veterans against the War did this unified presentation in Detroit in 1971."
"They brought together their bona fides, wore their medals, and showed it was more than one or two or three malcontents It was medal-winning, honored soldiers - veterans in a group verifying what each other said to try to convince people that these charges cannot be denied. That people are doing these things as a matter of policy."
He further states that the 1971 Winter Soldier was widely ignored by MSM then, as now, but that it made a measurable image retained those who fought then and there.
One of those, a hero, who fought, "then and there," was then a 27-year-old Navy Lieutenant John Kerry, who served on a Swift Boat in Vietnam, who Three months after the hearings, made his case to Congress and spoke before an overflow Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where media and Viet Nam veterans crowded in.
"Many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia," Kerry said to the committee back in 1971, describing the events of the Winter Soldier gathering.
"It is impossible to describe to you exactly what did happen in Detroit - the emotions in the room, and the feelings of the men who were reliving their experiences in Vietnam. They relived the absolute horror of what this country, in a sense, made them do."
In one of the most famous antiwar speeches of the era, Kerry concluded: "Someone has to die so that President Nixon won't be - and these are his words - 'the first president to lose a
War'. We are asking Americans to think about that, because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
American veterans find themselves in a dejavu situation today.
Most Americans want to believe that the morality of those at the top if our military and our government is as perceptive as theirs, unfortunately, far too many are blinded by ambition and their souls bought off cheaply by better job and pay promises. Such are the vagaries of the weak minded, the soulless and the cowardly.
However, a few activated their own consciences in time to perhaps save their souls, but just a few.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Breaking Story! Marine General Peter W. Pace Resigns as Chairman of Joint Chiefs
POLITICS-US: Vets Break Silence on War Crimes
By Aaron Glantz"They brought together their bona fides and wore their medals and showed it was more than one or two or three malcontents. It was medal-winning, honored soldiers -- veterans in a group verifying what each other said to try to convince people that these charges cannot be denied. That people are doing these things as a matter of policy."
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 28 (IPS) - U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are planning to descend on Washington from Mar. 13-16 to testify about war crimes they committed or personally witnessed in those countries.
"The war in Iraq is not covered to its potential because of how dangerous it is for reporters to cover it,"said Liam Madden, a former Marine and member of the group Iraq Veterans Against the War. "That's left a lot of misconceptions in the minds of the American public about what the true nature of military occupation looks like."
Iraq Veterans Against the War argues that well-publicised incidents of U.S. brutality like the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the massacre of an entire family of Iraqis in the town of Haditha are not the isolated incidents perpetrated by "a few bad apples", as many politicians and military leaders have claimed. They are part of a pattern, the group says, of "an increasingly bloody occupation".
"The problem that we face in Iraq is that policymakers in leadership have set a precedent of lawlessness where we don't abide by the rule of law, we don't respect international treaties, so when that atmosphere exists it lends itself to criminal activity,"argues former U.S. Army Sergeant Logan Laituri, who served a tour in Iraq from 2004 to 2005 before being discharged as a conscientious objector.
Laituri told IPS that precedent of lawlessness makes itself felt in the rules of engagement handed down by commanders to soldiers on the front lines. When he was stationed in Samarra, for example, he said one of his fellow soldiers shot an unarmed man while he walked down the street.
"The problem is that that soldier was not committing a crime as you might call it because the rules of engagement were very clear that no one was supposed to be walking down the street," he said. "But I have a problem with that. You can't tell a family to leave everything they know so you can bomb the shit out of their house or their city. So while he definitely has protection under the law, I don't think that legitimates that type of violence."
Iraq Veterans Against the War is calling the gathering "Winter Soldier," after a quote from the U.S. revolutionary Thomas Paine, who wrote in 1776:
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
Organisers say video and photographic evidence will also be presented, and the testimony and panels will be broadcast live on Satellite TV and streaming video on ivaw.org.
Winter Soldier is modeled on a similar event held by Vietnam Veterans 37 years ago.
In 1971, over 100 members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to share their stories with fellow citizens. Atrocities like the My Lai massacre had ignited popular opposition to the war, but political and military leaders insisted that such crimes were isolated exceptions.
"Initially even the My Lai massacre was denied,"notes Gerald Nicosia, whose book "Home to War" provides the most exhaustive history of the Vietnam veterans' movement.
"The U.S. military has traditionally denied these accusations based on the fact that 'this is a crazy soldier' or 'this is a malcontent' -- that you can't trust this person. And that is the reason that Vietnam Veterans Against the War did this unified presentation in Detriot in 1971."Nicosia says the 1971 Winter Soldier was roundly ignored by the mainstream media, but that it made an indelible imprint on those who were there.
Among those in attendance was 27-year-old Navy Lieutenant John Kerry, who had served on a Swift Boat in Vietnam. Three months after the hearings, Nicosia notes, Kerry took his case to Congress and spoke before a jammed Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Television cameras lined the walls, and veterans packed the seats.
"Many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia,"Kerry told the committee, describing the events of the Winter Soldier gathering.
"It is impossible to describe to you exactly what did happen in Detroit -- the emotions in the room, and the feelings of the men who were reliving their experiences in Vietnam. They relived the absolute horror of what this country, in a sense, made them do."
In one of the most famous antiwar speeches of the era, Kerry concluded:
"Someone has to die so that President Nixon won't be -- and these are his words -- 'the first president to lose a war'. We are asking Americans to think about that, because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
Nicosia says U.S. citizens and veterans find themselves in a similar situation today.
"The majority of the American people are very dissatisfied with the Iraq war now and would be happy to get out of it. But Americans are bred deep into their psyches to think of America as a good country and, I think, much harder than just the hurdle of getting troops out of Iraq is to get Americans to realise the terrible things we do in the name of the United States."
*Aaron Glantz has reported extensively from Iraq and on the treatment of U.S. soldiers when they return home. He is editor of the website www.warcomeshome.org and will be co-hosting Pacifica Radio's live broadcast of the Winter Soldier hearings from Mar. 14-16.
(END/2008)
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