Under investigation for talking about 'search & avoid' Eli Wright during anti-war march, St. Louis 8/19/07. Photo: Jeff Paterson / Courage to Resist Update November 3, 2007: The Army has begun a very official “unofficial” investigation of out-spoken Iraq veteran Eli Wright, an active duty soldier at Fort Drum, New York. Apparently the story below prompted right-wing bloggers to press the military to take action against Eli—for either the actions described, or simply talking about them. The military might take action to keep “search and avoid” missions from again becoming an “open secret”—as during the Vietnam War. We’ll keep you posted on developments, including possible action alerts if needed. Ill-Equipped Soldiers Opt for 'Search and Avoid' Iraq war veterans now stationed at a base here say that morale among US soldiers in the country is so poor, many are simply parking their Humvees and pretending to be on patrol, a practice dubbed "search and avoid" missions. An appeal from Helga Aguayo and Sara Rich
Wife of Army Spc. Agustín Aguayo; October 26, 2007 Dear Friend, If you feel anything like we do, you are beyond frustrated by years of war that appear endless. Presidential candidates, Democrats and Republicans alike, are offering little hope that this nightmare of unjust occupation and war will be over anytime soon. It appears that it really is up to us, “the people,” to stop this war. Vatican to venerate conscientious objector Franz Jagerstatter; soon-to-be Catholic Saint By Logan Laituri. September 19, 2007 Many conscientious service members have been speaking out despite an often oppressive and unforgiving atmosphere. Some of us have even been persecuted and attacked while exercising our civic duty of speaking truth to power in times of moral crises. The Rev. Lennox Yearwood, an Air Force chaplain, faces accusations of working against national security. Liam Madden, fellow Iraq Veterans Against the War member and co-founder of Appeal for Redress, is defending his project against comments that are similarly repeated daily to men and women in the armed forces who are speaking out; effectively demanding that our GIs remain silent and obey our leaders blindly. Catholics support GI resistance, initiate call to refuse
"Refuse to kill. Refuse the order to go to war ... We know your resistance to war will be difficult and require great courage." By Jonah House and Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. September 28, 2007 Brothers and sisters in the military: "Refuse to fight! Refuse to kill!" You are being ordered to war in the footsteps of veterans, who, more than 10 years ago, were sent to fight the first Gulf War. Many of those vets returned with severe and unacknowledged illnesses. Many gave birth to severely deformed children. All were abandoned by the Veterans Administration. Wisconsin Iraq vet returns medals to Rumsfeld Iraq vet Joshua Gaines By David Solnit, Courage to Resist / Army of None Project. September 26, 2007 "I swore an oath to protect the constitution ... not to become a pawn in your New American Century." Madison, Wisconsin--Joshua Gaines, who served a year long tour in Iraq in 2004 to 2005 with the Army Reserve, returned his Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and National Defense Service Medal to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today by mail as dozens of supporters look on. Audio: Raiding homes in Iraq, refusing to return Mark Wilkerson An interview with Mark Wilkerson by Aaron Glantz, co-produced by Sarah Olson, for KPFA Radio August 18, 2007. 19 min. audio edited by Courage to Resist (transcript below). Live broadcast available here. Following his presentation at the Courage to Resist hosted workshop at the 2007 Veterans for Peace National Convention in St. Louis, Mark sat down with Aaron Glantz and David Cortright, author of "Soldiers in Revolt". Mark was a Army MP in Iraq. He talks about joining the military, the reality of the Iraq occupation, his five months in the Fort Sill brig, and how people can better support today's GI resisters. At the time of this interview, Mark had just been released from the brig only days earlier. U.S. War resisters in Canada need our help Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey By Gerry Condon. September 12, 2007 Thousands of young men and women are AWOL from the U.S. military. Away Without Official Leave. Also known as “deserters.” But they are not AWOL from their own consciences. And they have not deserted their moral upbringings or the law. Quite to the contrary. At considerable personal risk and inconvenience, they have made a conscientious decision to separate themselves from an illegal and immoral war. They are our antiwar heroes. They very much deserve our support. And they very much need it. A couple hundred AWOL GI’s are currently living in Canada. They are from the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force. Many of them served one tour in Iraq and then refused to go back again. Instead, they and their families have moved to Canada. With the support of many Canadians, they are struggling to create a home for themselves and a sanctuary for war resisters. "Where is the rage?" asks Iraq War veteran
By Army National Guard Spc. Justin Cliburn. September 10, 2007 "No, I am not going back to participate in that war." I had drill this weekend. Drill has been a forever-evolving presence in my life for the past six years. I went from looking forward to drill to hating it to missing it while I was in Iraq and back to looking forward to it when I returned. I used to hate drill, but found myself liking the weekends where I was reunited with those that I spent a year with in Iraq. Over the past few months, that has turned into dread, and I am questioning whether or not I can remain an effective member of the military. Anti-war officer wins victory against Air Force
By Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. September 6, 2007 On July 1, 2007 I sought the support of regular Americans after receiving notification from the U.S. Air Force Reserve that they were threatening to discharge me on the basis of behavior that, in their words, is "clearly inconsistent with the interest of national security." The behavior in question is my outspoken opposition to the occupation of Iraq and the inadequate and inhuman response to the tragedy of Katrina. As a result of the outpouring of support I received from all over the United States and from around the world, the Air Force backed down. Thanks to my brothers and sisters in the movement, I will end my service with the honorable discharge that I earned. I am eternally grateful, and evermore committed to taking on the powers that be for the powers that ought to be. IVAW to launch campaign to support GI resistance IVAW members march for GI resisters. Photo: Jeff Paterson By Aaron Glantz, OneWorld.net. August 21, 2007 SAINT LOUIS - Members of a leading Iraq war veterans’ organization voted this weekend to launch a campaign encouraging U.S. troops to refuse to fight. The decision was made at the group’s annual membership meeting, held this weekend in Saint Louis, Missouri alongside the annual convention of the Veterans for Peace organization. “Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) decided to make support of war resisters a major part of what we do,” said Garrett Rappenhagen, a former U.S. Army sniper who served in Iraq from February 2004 to February 2005. New book by Iraq veteran, objector Aidan Delgado
The Sutras of Abu Ghraib - Notes from a conscientious objector in Iraq 'The Sutras of Abu Ghraib' is the story of a soldier who refused to succumb to violence. In chronicling the struggles of military life and the dehumanizing effects of war, Aidan Delgado examines the attitudes that make prisoner abuse possible and explores his own developing Buddhist beliefs against a brutal backdrop. It is a tale of physical bravery, moral courage, and the cost of holding on to your identity while everyone around you is losing theirs. "Aidan Delgado is a powerful, eloquent writer. His description of how he was transformed by the horrors of Iraq is unforgettable. He is a diamond in the rough, sandblasted in the desert of Iraq." — Amy Goodman, Democracy Now More Articles...
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Chairman, Iraq Veterans Against the War
