Refusing to Kill is Not a Crime
US: Gulf War 2
Guernica by Pablo Picasso, 1937
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US WAR RESISTERS Pentagon can't account for $21 Trillion 14 May 2018 US has killed 20 million people since WWII 2015 US Military families against war in Afghanistan 10 Oct 2018 War on Terror: $250M/day from July 2017 article Refusenik Camilo Mejia: defends Nicaragua 15 June 2018 Vets for Peace speaks at Poor People Campaign in LA 1 June 2018 Veterans for Peace at antiwar march in Oakland 15 Apr 2018 US Navy killing whales 16 May 2016 Vets urge drone operators to refuse 20 June 2015 Drones operator are quiting 5 March 2015 The drone operator who said 'No' 21 January 2015 GI Coffeehouse fundraising 9 March 2014 Irak vet Daniel Somers suicide letter 10 June 2013
'The Last
Letter' from
dead Iraq vet Tomas Young
An appeal from
Shawna Foster on behalf of Iraq Veterans Against the War
18 September 2012 US Vet Leah Bolger disrupts Congress 10 April 2012 Film based on Winter Soldier soon on US TV 5 January 2012 Invitation to G.I. Café's Mailing List An anti-war/refusenik centre located in Kaiserslautern (home of a sizeable military presence in Germany) needs your support. 9 June 2011 AWOL Soldier Jeff Hanks refusing deployment due to PTSD 5 November 2010
Online petition from Iraq Veterans Against The War André Shepherd receives award from German newspaper Connection e.V. stated today. “We are now urging the German migration authorities to finally grant André Shepherd the necessary asylum protection." 20 September 2010 Army surrenders: Marc Hall to be discharged immediately! “I’m out of the confinement facility! Thank you to everyone for all the efforts everyone made....I appreciate all of the love and support so many people gave me through my ordeal.” April 17 2010
Army court martial of Eric Jasinski underway
Berkeley City Council recommends universal and unconditional amnesty for
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan war military resisters and veterans
March 30, 2010
24 December 2009 Profile of a Deserter. Amy joined the US army to fight a war. She graduated from college with a degree in Biblical Studies, then decided to go to Iraq to fight for American values. That was in 2004. 16 July 2009 Army deserter tells of his time behind bars.Robin Long, released from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, said the hardest part of his 12 months in the brig was being away from his young son.11 July 2009 Winter Soldier Update. This is Where We Take Our Stand starts this week. Click here to watch the trailer, and on Saturday, July 11, watch Episode 1. July 6th, 2009
Why Soldiers Rape. An alarming number of women soldiers are being sexually abused by their comrades-in-arms, both at war and at home. This fact has received a fair amount of attention lately from researchers and the press — and deservedly so. 17 April 2009
U.S. resisters' solidarity with Israeli. Statement signed by over two dozen U.S. military war resisters. Reprinted by AlterNet, Democracy Now, The Progressive, Common Dreams, Indymedia, and Daily Kos.18 December 2008 The Primacy of Healing: Politics and Combat Stress in America. "I couldn't help noticing how the political dissent of my community was facilitating my mental healing". 28 April 2009 IRR Resister declares victory after misconduct hearing - Matthis Chiroux. April 22, 2009
Iraq
air raids
hit mostly women and children Remembring Mexican / US Marine Jesús A. Suárez Del Solar on 6th Anniversary of his passing in Iraq Friday March 27th. 12 March 2009
Iraq Veterans Against the War invites you to a hearing in Freiburg, Germany on March 14, 2009. Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) invites you to hear the hard truth about what is really on happening on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, day in and day out, from American, British and German veterans. 9 March 2009 GI Coffeehouse provides haven for war resisters. The milk frother screams as a couple of young soldiers in camouflaged combat uniforms peruse the lit table. All around them are the familiar surroundings of a coffeehouse: posters on the wall, tables and chairs, and shelves stuffed with used books. Yet this café, just across the street from the sprawling Ft. Lewis Army Base in Washington, is not your ordinary coffeehouse. "Support War Resisters: Iraq Veterans Against the War," reads a huge banner on the wall. 5 March 2009 March on the Pentagon 3/21, resister outlines why. If we were to ask everyone planning to travel to Washington this month to march on the Pentagon, I’m sure we would get several different answers. For many people in the United States, they will be taking to the streets to demand an end to the sixth year of war on Iraq. But that is not the entire truth—in reality, the war is nearing its 19th year. Here are a few of the reasons why I will be marching. 2 March 2009 Former Gitmo guard recalls abuse, climate of fear. Brandon Neely has ncome forward in the final year of the detention center's existence, to publicly air his feelings of guilt and shame about how soldiers behaved as the military handled alleged al-Qaida and Taliban members at the isolated U.S. prison base. Feb 14, 2009 National Week of Letter Writing Supporting War Resisters (March 16-23, 2009) War Resister Letter-Writing Parties provide a concrete way to show emotional support for war resisters and establish human connections between civilian support networks and troops refusing to fight. The idea is for a group of people to bring their community together to write letters and to use the occasion to build awareness and solidarity around the issue of G.I. resistance. February 12th, 2009 Resisting Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) Recall Despite the recent inauguration of an “anti-war” president, the Army is currently undertaking the largest IRR recall since 2004. Over the last seven years however, thousands of IRR soldiers and Marines have questioned this "emergency" and have simply refused and ignored involuntary activation—without any real consequences February 3, 2009 More Americans Joining Military as Jobs Dwindle Recruiters report that more people are inquiring about joining the military as the US ecomony takes a further downturn. The Army has faced the toughest recruiting challenge due to high casualty rates in Iraq and long deployments overseas. Recruitment is also strong for the Army National Guard, according to Pentagon figures. January 18, 2009 Deserter's cause taken up by activists at Miramar Two dozen members of Military Families Speak Out and San Diego Veterans for Peace protested in support of Robin Long, a onetime Army private who was sentenced to 15 months behind bars and a dishonorable discharge. January 14, 2009 AWOL U.S. soldier seeks German asylum Frankfurt, Germany – André Shepherd, an AWOL (Absent Without Leave) US soldier, filed his application for German asylum. He is the first American veteran of the war in Iraq to pursue refugee status in Europe. 27 November 2008 HEMPSTEAD 15 ACQUITTED. In a remarkable reversal, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office has agreed to dismiss all charges against the Hempstead 15 following a six month adjournment in what's called an "ACD" (Adjournment to Contemplate Dismissal). 27 November 2008 Conscientious objector Tony Anderson sentenced to 14 months US Iraq war resister Tony Anderson has been sentenced to 14 months of confinement and given a dishonourable discharge from the military for "desertion with intent to avoid hazardous duty" and "disobeying a lawful order". 21 November 2008 Iraq War resister Tony Anderson sentenced to 14 months ".....I know in my heart that it is wrong to wilfully hurt or kill another human being. I simply cannot do it. I don't regret following my conscience," he said at his trial as he struggled to compose himself. "I know there must be consequences for my actions and I must accept this fact." November 20, 2008 Documentary Tells ex-Army Sergeant's Story of Pain Angie's Story'' is the latest webcast in the series ''In Their Boots,'' about the struggles of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and their families. November 19, 2008 This Veterans Day, U.S. Soldiers Say 'Stop the War' An open letter from war resisters calls for an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. November 11, 2008 Iraq War resister Tony Anderson on trial The U.S. Army plans to court martial Pvt Tony Anderson next Tuesday, November 17 for his refusal to deploy to Iraq in July. November 11, 2008 Study: War deployments make kids more aggressive. CHICAGO (AP) Preschoolers with a parent away at war were more likely to show aggression than other young children in military families, according to the first published research on how the very young react to wartime deployment. 3 November 2008 Conscientious objector Robert Weiss sentenced to seven months in U.S. military prison in Viseck, Germany. 3 November 2008Blake Ivey says "no" to Afghanistan deployment. "I believe war is the crime of our times," Blake Ivey, a specialist in the U.S. Army, said over the phone in a slow, deliberate voice.He is determined not to go, and as of our last phone call, was still actively serving on his base, weighing his options for refusal. 23 October 2008 Gone AWOL to save their lives spoke with the families of two soldiers from Puerto Rico about their struggle with the U.S. Army. 22 October 2008 IVAW Members Arrested While Attempting to Present Questions to Obama and McCain. One hour before the final presidential debate of the 2008 campaign, fourteen members of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) marched in, formation to Hofstra University to present questions for the candidates concerning the occupation of Iraq and the treatment of returning veterans. 18 October 2008 |
Support
Rodney Watson, US refusenik in Canada Victory! for Jeremy Hinzman and family. Federal Court of Appeal rules in favour of first U.S. Iraq War resister to seek refuge in Canada. 6 July 2010 Jeremy Hinzman hearing in Toronto "There is a infinite circle of irony and regret that speeds through my head....Jeremy knew what it was about and chose resistance". May 26, 2010 Tuesday May 25 in Toronto: rally for Jeremy Hinzman Jeremy Hinzman was the first US Iraq War resister to seek refuge in Canada because he refused to participate in the illegal and immoral Iraq war. 21 May 2010 Support Bill C-440 let US Iraq War Resisters Stay in Canada! 21 May 2010
Resister Rodney
Watson in Canadian church sanctuary
African-American
refusenik witnessed racism and the
physical abuse from US soldiers towards Iraqi civilians.
Dean
Walcott - Refusnik.
"One night, I typed “war” and “get out” into
Google and found a war resisters Web site.....I got on a Greyhound bus
and came north....Now
I live in Parkdale with two other resisters".
18 June 2009 Federal Court grants Kimberly Rivera a judicial review. . . Kimberly Rivera is the first female Iraq War resister to seek refuge in Canada. 21 April 2009 The Presidio Mutineers - Lindy Blake's Great Escape. 21 April 2009
Deserters have a right to stay in Canada
It is time for the Conservatives to
stop making false claims, and to start
respecting the will of Parliament. Iraq War resisters should be
allowed to apply for permanent resident status and remain in Canada.
31 March
2009 Iraq War resister Cliff Cornell deported from Canada 10 February 2009 We may be a world away, but I love you! I understand! You are in my thoughts and prayers! I know things are hard. I want to say thank you for your righteous stand! You are amazing! Hang in there. I know things are tough. But many more like you stand by your side.
Mentally ill
soldier sentenced to 8 months in stockade
Daniel Sandate, a mentally ill US soldier,
was deported from Canada and sentenced to 8 months in the stockade at
the end of a brief court-martial at Ft. Carson, Colorado on Monday,
November 17. His civilian lawyer, James Branum, describes this case
below and asks that you consider making a donation to his legal defence.
November 18, 2008 Bad News for War Resisters the re-election of Stephen Harper as prime minister of Canada was bad news . . . Harper’s gains in the election mean that he will continue to seek the deportation of U.S. military resisters as he attempts to please George Bush. 20 October, 2008U.S. army deserter Jeremy Hinzman and his family were granted a last-minute stay of deportation Monday by a Federal Court judge while the court decides whether to hear their appeal. 22 September 2008 Amnesty International issues alert on behalf of Jeremy Hinzman On 23 September, the Canadian authorities intend to deport US serviceman Jeremy Hinzman, his wife, son and one-month-old daughter. 11 September 2008
Conscientious objector deported from Canada sentenced to 15 months
imprisonment
Ways to support Robin Long,
the first US soldier deported from
Canada after refusing to go to Iraq
Army court-martials resister for blowing whistle on 'bait-and-kill' Private First Class James Burmeister faces a Special Court Martial at Fort Knox on July 16. The charges are AWOL and desertion. He returned to Fort Knox voluntarily in March, after living 10 months in Canada with his spouse and infant child. He refused redeployment to Iraq while on leave in May 2007. 19 July 2008 Resister sought refuge in Ottawa but returned to U.S. earlier this year An American army deserter who took refuge in Canada before returning to the U.S. voluntarily was given a dishonourable discharge yesterday and sentenced to nine months in jail, a close supporter said. 17 July 2008 Stop deportation of war deserters Canada has long opened its doors to refugees from violence and oppression in far-off lands. But what about deserters from the armed forces of our neighbour, the United States? 17 July 2008 Canada Expels an American Deserter From the Iraq War New York Times, Mr. Long’s expulsion was somewhat unexpected. Two other American deserters received Federal Court permission this month to stay in Canada to continue their appeals. 16 July 2008 US Soldier who fled to Canada to avoid war in Iraq deported Canadian press report on the deportation of Robin Long, 16 July 2008 Successful Actions for War Resisters! Thanks to the united efforts of many folks, we succeeded in mounting actions at the Canadian Embassy and Consulates in 14 U.S. cities! The reports from the various cities are still trickling in. There was significant media coverage of these vigils in both the U.S. and Canada. 10 July 2008 San Francisco, 9 July Vigil & Delegation 2008 Philadelphia, 9 July demonstration to support Resisters facing deportation. 2008 Canadian Court Rules Immigration and Refugee. In a victory for US war resisters, Canada’s federal court ruled Friday that the Immigration and Refugee Board should reconsider the asylum claim of conscientious objector and Iraq war veteran Joshua Key. 7 July 2008 A former US national guardsman will learn next month whether he can remain in Canada, where he has sought refuge from military service in Iraq. The former soldier was initially ordered to leave the country by tomorrow, but his departure date was extended yesterday to July 10, after an appeal by his lawyer was approved. 20 June 2008 Canadian MPs Vote to Save US 'Deserters' A powerful, symbolic vote to keep US soldiers from being deported is a brave move. 6 June 2008 USA: James Corey Glass has right not to serve in Iraq. Amnesty International believes James Corey Glass to have a genuine conscientious objection to serving as a combatant in the US forces in Iraq, and would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience if imprisoned on his return to the USA. He is facing deportation from Canada on 12 June. 6 June 2008 Peace Activists to Hold Vigil at Canadian Consulate. Peace activists will hold a “Celebration Vigil” outside of the Canadian Consulate in downtown Seattle on Thursday from 12 Noon to 1 pm. They will be celebrating the historic vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday, June 3, which calls on the Canadian government to allow U.S. war resisters to immigrate to Canada. 5 June 2008 Canada's House backs war resisters Lawmakers pass a motion urging the government to let U.S. military deserters stay. Dozens seek refugee status. 4 June 2008 Canada Lawmakers Ask Harper to Let War Resisters Stay Canadian lawmakers passed a non-binding resolution aimed at pressuring the government to freeze deportations of U.S. soldiers who fled to Canada after refusing to fight in the war in Iraq. 3 June 2008 War Resister Corey Glass loses bid to stay in Canada 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. 21 May 2008 |
| Police met antiwar dissent with batons and horses at the last presidential debate in New York. 17 October 2008 | |
| Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan Events October/November: Featured testimony from U.S. veterans who served, giving an accurate account of what really occurs, day in and day out, on the ground. 10 October 2008 | |
| IVAW Rally on Hofstra University Forthcoming march for questions regarding injured veterans be asked during the final U.S. presidential debate. 10 October 2008 | |
| IVAW Actions at the Republican Convention These are reports from IVAW's website about what they did at the Republican rally endorsing John McCain. 10 October 2008 | |
| IVAW actions at the Democratic convention IVAW Victory: Message Delivered at the DNC. 10 October 2008 | |
| Thousands Are Deployed. Background: the First Brigade of the Third Infantry Division, three to four thousand soldiers, has been deployed in the United States as of October 1. Their stated mission is the form of crowd control they practiced in Iraq, subduing "unruly individuals," and the management of a national emergency. 9 October 2008 | |
| US battles against veteran suicide rate. The Veterans Affairs Society has estimated that 18 veterans a day, or 6,500 a year, take their own lives. 16 July 2008 | |
| UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU! WARNING TO THE INDIGENOUS YOUTH FROM A CONCERNED ELDER Do not join the Canadian or U.S. military. They are violating the Two Row Wampum Agreement. Everywhere the Europeans went they put Indigenous people in the galleys of their ships. A few would be promised some benefit if they carried out some hideous deed against their people. Some were even freed. But they were never free. 27 June 2008 | |
| US Army Sergeant Matthis Chiroux Refuses to Deploy to Iraq. Sergeant Matthis Chiroux served in the Army for five years, with tours in Afghanistan, Japan, Germany and the Philippines. Last month, Chiroux announced he would not deploy to Iraq. On Sunday, Father's Day, the deadline for him to report for active duty expired. 20 June 2008 | |
| Guantanamo: We hope that the lower courts will quickly move to hold hearings in the 200-odd pending individual habeas corpus cases where detainees are challenging their indefinite detention without charges. 12 June 2008 | |
| Winter Soldiers Hit the Streets [in Seattle]. Iraq War veteran Sergio Kochergin leads anti-war demonstration through downtown Seattle after testifying at Regional Winter Soldier hearings. 11 June 2008 | |
| Troubled by military recruiting at Los Angeles high schools, activists are seeking equal access to students on campus to provide what they say is unvarnished information about the armed forces and information about non-military careers. 9 June 2008 | |
| ANTI-TORTURE ACTIVISTS CONVICTED - GUANTANAMO PRISON PUT ON TRIAL. Thirty-four Americans arrested at the Supreme Court on January 11, 2008 were found guilty after a three-day trial which began on Tuesday, May 27th in D.C. 29 May 2008 | |
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Legislative Working Group
This is a tremendous victory for
the antiwar movement. The hard work of people all around the country
secured those 149 clear NO votes. May 15, 2008 |
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| The Truth About Veteran Suicides Eighteen American war veterans kill themselves every day. One thousand former soldiers receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs attempt suicide every month. More veterans are committing suicide than are dying in combat overseas. Friday 09 May 2008 | |
| Matthis Chiroux announces his refusal to deploy to Iraq This occupation is unconstitutional and illegal and I hereby lawfully refuse to participate as I will surely be a party to war crimes. 15 May 2008 | |
| Washington, DC – On May 15, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will testify under oath before Congress about their eyewitness accounts of the military occupation of Iraq. Testifiers will include veterans who served during the surge. May 5, 2008 | |
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DOD data: More forced to stay in Army By Tom Vanden Brook The Army has accelerated its policy of involuntary extensions of duty to bolster its troop levels, despite Defense Secretary Robert Gates' order last year to limit it, Pentagon records show. 24 April 2008 |
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| VA Lying About Number of Veteran Suicides. The Veterans Administration has lied about the number of veterans who've attempted suicide, a senator charged Wednesday, citing internal e-mails that put the number at 12,000 a year when the department was publicly saying it was fewer than 800. 23 April 2008 | |
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VA Confirms 18 Vets Commit Suicide Everyday 21 April 2008 |
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| Army "Rewards" Outspoken Antiwar Soldier Some observers say Cantu's promotion shows the military is now so stressed by the ongoing war it is finding it difficult to crack down on dissent within the ranks. 15 April 2006 | |
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U.S. Army Deserter Denied Asylum In Canada The House of Commons immigration committee in December called for a halt to any deportation proceedings and to let deserters apply for permanent resident status. The Commons will likely debate and vote on the issue in the summer. 1 April 2008 |
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Winter Soldier: Iraq
Veterans Against the War
After Vietnam, American veterans testified to the atrocities they witnessed. Now soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are about to do the same THE SUNDAY TIMES 2 March 2008 |
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US military suicides
reach record level
The suicide rate among US soldiers has reached its highest level since records began almost 30 years ago. 1 February 2008 |
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Statement in support of the US “war resisters” People of faith in Canada call on the Canadian government to allow conscientious objectors, and their immediate family members, who have refused or left military service to be able to apply for permanent residency from within Canada. 26 January 2008 |
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January 25-26
US - Canada actions to
support war resisters Philadelphia: Support refuseniks seeking asylum in Canada 25 January 2008 |
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| Traumatised veterans 'have killed 120 in US' 14 January 2008 | |
| In 2005 alone there were at least 6,256 veteran suicides, 120 every week for a year and an average of 17 every day (CBS report) 13 November 2007 | |
| Dear Canada Let War Resisters Stay: sign the appeal / more information www.couragetoresist.org/canada | |
| Urgent Lobbying request: On Tuesday, November 20th, 2007, Canada's Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) will consider a motion in support of U.S. War Resisters staying in Canada. This motion is being brought forward by NDP Member of Parliament and Immigration Critic Olivia Chow. 20 November 2007 | |
| Canada rejects appeal by two US soldiers: Hinzman and Hugley's defense lawyer Jeffry House noted earlier this year that about 20 U.S. military personnel have applied for refugee status in Canada. He estimated as many as 200 American war resisters were hiding in Canada, waiting to see how Hinzman's case is played out before coming forward. 15 November 2007 | |
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Iraq
Veterans Tell Congress “You Have Failed Us And You Have Blood On Your
Hands” We The People Are Fed Up. We The People Are Ready To Rise Up And Take Back Our Democracy. 17 September 2007 |
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| Recruiting For Iraq War Undercut
in
Puerto Rico
18 August |
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| Former marine
Adam Kokesh rejects plea
bargain - fights to protect free speech rights of Vets |
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| Active soldiers support U.S. withdrawal from Iraq For the first time since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, active-duty members of the military are asking members of Congress to end the occupation of Iraq and bring U.S. soldiers home. 27 October 2006 | |
| Soldiers in Revolt: 218 active duty troops call to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq. 25 October 2006 | |
| Hidden Draft in Our Schools. Big scandal in the Houston-area recruiting racket was Sergeant Thomas Kelt, who threatened those he was recruiting with arrest if they didn't enlist into the Army. 23 August 2006 |
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Author expects more soldiers to refuse Iraq
duty
"If we have retired generals, guys like Congressman John Murtha -- a 37-year Marine veteran, and 'grunts' (combat infantry veterans) resisting, there's no way ... that there is not going to be an increasing level of resistance in the military," 14 June 2006 |
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| Cindy Sheehan says she will return after stepping back as antiwar leader 30 May 2007 | |||
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Inside the U.S. Military's Judicial
System - Death Row at the "Castle" |
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Walkin' to New Orleans
9
February 2006 Veterans' and Survivors' March for Peace and Justice to New Orleans. |
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Lawyer wants Canada to let US Iraq deserters stay 9 February 2006 Two U.S. army deserters, Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey, were unfairly denied asylum in Canada partly because the refugee board would not consider the legality of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. They hope that the Federal Court will overturn this decision. |
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Navy
Judge Finds War Protest Reasonable
13
May 2005
Pablo Paredes wins an important victory in court. War Resister Pablo Paredes Denied Conscientious Objector Status At 23, I'm somebody that can't fight in a war, and at 18 I was somebody that didn't think about those things. 26 April 2005 |
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Civil
Resisters Shut Down Recruitment Center "We want the American media to show the truth about the war, and we want the recruiters to tell potential recruits the truth about what they are getting themselves into." 18 March 2005 |
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Seeking
options to military recruiting "Do You Know Enough to Enlist?” 16 April 2005 |
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Antiwar
Sailor Is Charged by Navy The Navy planned to court-martial Pablo Eduardo Paredes, sailor vocal against the war. 26 March 2005 |
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Blake Lemoine on hunger strike "No one is forced to join the American military, but the enlistment contract is a slave contract." 28 March 2005 |
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| Protests stop military recruiting - Demonstrators protest on 2nd anniversary of Iraq war 19 March 2005 In the US, 750 actions took place at Army recruitment Centres that day. . . | |||
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Support
Sue and Abdullah Webster
punished for refusing to kill in Iraq
19 March 2005 |
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Montclair
parents say no to military Cherry's mother was furious when she found out the district was releasing her child's information without her express consent 19 January 2005 |
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Rancor
in the U.S. Ranks It's the mothers who are warning their kids about going to war 17 January 2005 |
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Letter
from Fernando Suarez del Solar to Pablo Paredes You serve as a model that surely many others will follow 17 December 2004 |
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Navy
petty officer in San Diego refuses war duty I'm going to throw my ID in the water and say that I'm no longer part of the military 6 December 2004 |
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Deserters:
We Won't Go to Iraq The Pentagon says more than 5,500 servicemen have deserted since the war started in Iraq. (...) Soldiers always gripe. Confronting the Defense Secretary, filing a lawsuit over extended tours and refusing to go on a mission too dangerous elevate complaining to a new level. 8 December 2004 |
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Uncle
Sam wants your kids ... now! Moms and dads are outraged about desperate Army recruiters on a relentless campaign to sign up their teenagers. High-school kids are running away from recruiters like they were George Romero's living dead. 7 December 2004 |
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8
Soldiers Challenge Policy of Extending Army Duty Eight soldiers filed a lawsuit Monday challenging a policy forcing them to serve in Iraq beyond their terms of enlistment 7 December 2004 |
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Minor
sanctions for U.S. troops who balked in Iraq 18 soldiers punished for refusing to go out on a transport convoy 6 December 2004 |
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Weapons
of Self-Destruction Those returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom are also beginning to report illnesses in significant numbers. In July 2004, the VA disclosed that 27,571 of them -16.4 percent of the total - had sought health care. Of that group, 8,134 suffered muscular and skeletal ailments; 3,505 had respiratory problems; and 5,674 had "symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions." An additional 153 had developed cancers. 19 November 2004 |
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We’re
committing genocide in Iraq "It’s kind of hard to tell someone that they are being liberated when they just saw their child shot or lost their husband or grandmother”, says former Staff Sergeant Jimmy Massey, a 12-year Marine veteran. 11 November 2004 |
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Colorado
students occupy high school to protest war, Bush policies The students told reporters they were disgusted with the Bush administration's policies, in particular, the war in Iraq, the national debt, the environment, military recruitment in the schools and the possible return of the draft. 6 November 2004 |
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This
GI Joe Won’t Go - Ex-soldier
resists backdoor draft into Iraq war You had to stab a dummy shaped like a person,” says Denofa. “I hated it. I hated it. It was like you had to stab a person.” 29 October-4 November 2004 |
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EMERGENCY
DEMONSTRATION in support of soldiers who refused orders
An entire platoon of the 343rd Quartermaster Company refused to go on a "suicide mission" in Iraq. 13 October 2004 |
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1
in 3 IRR soldiers fail to report for mobilization About 30 percent of the 3,664 Individual Ready Reserve soldiers called to active duty failed to report for mobilization. 27 September 2004 |
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U.S.
war objectors are seeking sanctuary in Canada: What will be their fate? The Canadian Labour Council has endorsed their campaign, as have many prominent Canadians. September 2004 |
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An Army Vet on Prisoner Torture in Iraq Abu Ghraib
as My Lai? Mark Kimmitt, Deputy Director of coalition operations in Iraq, is interviewed by Dan Rather on 60 Minutes: Soldiers in the photos are now facing court-martial. My question--how common is this? 1/3 May 2004 |
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Flight from the fight Two American soldiers have deserted, claiming asylum in Canada rather than serve in Iraq. They argue that the war is illegal under international law. 13 April 2004 |
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Camilo
Mejia is out-
Regaining
My Humanity
17
February 2005 |
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GI
Denied Health Care After Speaking Out It appears that some of his superiors on stateside may be penalizing him for reporting his superior officer in Iraq 2 March 2004 |
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Words from the front-lines There are no weapons of mass destruction that we've seen. These people didn't even have an air force. ... I didn't even see an army. February-March 2004 |
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US
soldiers accused of raping 100 colleagues Our women soldiers sometimes have more to fear from their fellow soldiers than from the enemy 27 February 2004 |
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Rapes
reported by servicewomen in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere I don't get a sense of outrage by military leadership 26 February 2004 |
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Where
are Iraq's Pentagon Papers? I urge patriotic and conscientious Americans who have access to these documents: Go to Congress and the press; tell the truth, with documents. 22 February 2004 |
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Soldier
for the Truth Almost a billion dollars has been spent -- a billion dollars! -- by David Kay's group to search for these WMD, a total whitewash effort. They didn't find anything, they didn't expect to find anything 20 February 2004 |
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10%
At Hospital Had Mental Problems About 1,000 soldiers were evacuated for mental problems. 19 February 2004 |
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The
soldier who refuses to fight Jeremy Hinzman enlisted to get an education, not to kill people. But his superiors wouldn't listen and ordered him to pack for Iraq. Instead, he packed up his family and hightailed it north. Now, Canada must decide: Can a U.S. Army deserter be considered a refugee? 7 February 2004 |
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Dusting
downer A former soldier won a landmark ruling, becoming the first veteran to win a war pension appeal after suffering Depleted Uranium (DU) poisoning. 6 Feb 2004 |
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Washington
conceals US casualties in Iraq Estimates on the number of US soldiers, sailors and Marines medically evacuated from Iraq by the end of 2003 range from 11,000 to 22,000. 4 February 2004 |
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Last
refuge: 'Freedom Underground' for US Army Deserters The French weekly magazine Le Canard Enchaine reports that 1,700 U.S. soldiers have deserted their posts in Iraq. February 2004 |
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Stress
Epidemic Strikes Military psychiatrists have been warned to expect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to occur in 20 per cent of the servicemen and women in Iraq. 25 January 2004 |
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Returning female GIs report
rapes, poor care |
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A
Marine's view on the 'opposition party' Did I participate in a deception that caused the deaths of innocent people for a lie? Undated |
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GIs
in Iraq Scoff at Re-Enlistment Bonus Man, they can't pay me enough to stay here 7 January 2004 |
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It
shouldn't happen to a vet Do you have low financial expectations, a vigorous desire to travel and a functioning index finger? Then the US military could be for you. 7 January 2004 |
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Their
Photos Tell the Story 2003 has been the deadliest year for the U.S. military since 1972, when 640 were killed in Vietnam 30 December 2003 |
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Army
Stops Many Soldiers From Quitting Chained in Iraq. 29 December 2003 |
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Letters the
troops have sent to Michael Moore I’m writing it from the trenches of a war (that’s still going on,) not knowing why I’m here or when I’m leaving. I’ve toppled statues and vandalized portraits, while wearing an American flag on my sleeve, and struggling to learn how to understand. 19 December 2003 |
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I'm
in a major army unit getting ready to deploy We are going over there to liberate the Iraqis souls from their bodies 17 December 2003 |
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Why
a soldier died Marshall came to Iraq to die for a general's carpet 15 December 2003 |
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Son dies, father is
deported With the family still in mourning, the father of a soldier killed in Iraq is deported to Mexico as an illegal immigrant. 11 December 2003 |
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Soldiers'
parents go to Iraq A delegation of nine family members of US soldiers and army veterans have come to Iraq, led by the San Francisco-based human rights group Global Exchange. Most of the group oppose the occupation, while others say they simply want to see the situation for themselves. 8 December 2003 |
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| Sacerdote
le pide a soldados desobedecer órdenes Dice que él le pidio a los soldados que pararan "en el nombre del Dios" 4 de diciembre 2003 |
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I
am an army wife I wish the Bush administration would take responsibility for the damage it is causing to American families. Undated |
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Priest
tells soldiers to disobey orders Dear says he told the soldiers to stop “in the name of God.” 4 December 2003 |
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1,700
U.S. soldiers quit Iraq One thousand and seven hundred U.S. soldiers have deserted their posts in Iraq, with many of them failing to return to military duty after getting permission to go back to the United States. 4 December 2003 |
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Ten
reasons why many Gulf war veterans oppose invading Iraq According to VA, of the nearly 700,000 veterans who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, more than 300,000 have sought VA healthcare, and more than 200,000 have filed VA disability claims. Two weeks ago, President Bush slashed $275 million from the healthcare budget of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 24 September 2002 |
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Mystery pneumonia toll
may be much higher Mysterious pneumonia-like illnesses are striking U.S. troops -- including more deaths, according to soldiers and their families. 16 September 2003 |
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GIs
grumble about leaders Many soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division privately express their displeasure with current policies but are reluctant to speak publicly. They say they have been told at least three different times they would be going home in just a few weeks, only to have their departure delayed. But some have spoken on US National TV criticizing the civilian decisions makers. 18 July 2003 |
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What
Dubya did during Vietnam War Top Gun fighter pilot George W was assigned the dangerous job of protecting Houston from Vietcong air attack 9 July 2003 |
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Wives
clamour for US troops return A colonel at Fort Stewart, who had been sent to soothe a meeting of 800 army wives, had to be escorted out of the hall under a torrent of jeers and angry questions. 5 July 2003 |
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We
are losing this war Within one month, it was apparent that everything he told me was true, and that every reason that was being given to the American public for the war was not true. 3 July 2003 |
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Frustrated
reservists see a mission impossible You can put me up in a five-star hotel, and I'm not going to be here for two years. 1 July 2003 |
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Burned
Iraqi Children Turned Away The two Army doctors who arrived about an hour later refused to help the children because their injuries were not life-threatening and had not been inflicted by U.S. troops. 23 June 2003 |
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Marine gets 7 months in jail for
refusing anthrax vaccine In a random survey of 1,253 guard and reserve pilots and aircrew, the General Accounting Office found 84 percent suffered minor reactions [to the anthrax vaccine] and at least 24 percent major multiple "systemic" reactions, the latter more than 100 times higher than the estimate by the manufacturer. 9 July 2003 |
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US
General Condemns Iraq Failures You can't tell who is behind the latest rocket propelled grenade. It could be a father whose daughter has been killed; it could be a political leader trying to gain a following, or it could be rump Saddam. Either way, they are starting to converge. 22 June 2003 |
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I
Just Pulled the Trigger At night time you think about all the people you killed. It just never gets off your head, none of this stuff does. There's no chance to forget it, we're still here, we've been here so long. Most people leave after combat but we haven't. 19 June 2003 |
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The
Working Class on the War Front and the Home Front On March 20, the Congress overwhelmingly passed a resolution to "express the gratitude of the Nation to all members of the United States Armed Forces." Then, early the next morning, the House of Representatives voted to cut funding for veterans' health care and benefit programs by nearly $25 billion over the next ten years. May/June 2003 |
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US
troops' anguish: Killing outmatched foes "For lack of a better word, I feel almost guilty about the massacre," says one soldier privately. "We wasted a lot of people. It makes you wonder how many were innocent. It takes away some of the pride. We won, but at what cost?" 11 April 2003 |
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US
Soldiers Could Be Facing War Crimes Charges Charges have been brought in a Belgium Court against General Franks and unnamed soldiers under his command. The charges have been brought by Iraqi victims and their relatives. The plaintiffs have been seriously injured or have lost relatives as the result of: - the use of cluster bombs - attacks on the civilian population including journalists - acts of aggression against health services and other Iraqi infrastructure - looting protected by or under orders from the U.S. army. 2 June 2003 |
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| Army
Orders Troops to Seize TV Station in Northwest Iraq During the two-hour meeting last night, the head of the Army public-affairs office in Mosul, Maj. Charmaine Means, said she could not agree to seizing the station and posting troops there. She argued that the presence of armed soldiers would intimidate the station's Arab employees into airing only programming produced by, or acceptable to, the American military. 8 May 2003 |
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How many more
must die Before America demands the return of the men and women whose job it is to protect them? 24 August 2003 |
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Bring
the troops home now - End the occupation of Iraq Be it further RESOLVED: that San Francisco Labor Council endorse the October 25, 2003 International March on Washington, D.C. behind the banner: Bring the Troops Home Now -End the Occupation of Iraq -Repeal the Patriot Act -Money for Human Needs, not for War and Empire. 28 July 2003 |
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Guard,
Reserve short on recruits The nation’s largest auxiliary forces — the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve — are beginning to have trouble meeting their recruiting targets. As of April 30, the Guard was nearly 6,000 recruits short of where it needed to be on that date to meet its Sept. 30 target of enlisting 62,000 soldiers, Pentagon statistics show. 10 June 2003 |
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Morale
Lags For Some U.S. Troops In Iraq "Those who did the killing should not be the ones keeping the peace," said one soldier, who asked to remain anonymous. "They need to send us home." 29 May 2003 |
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US military now turning its back on deserters Soldiers are usually classified as deserters when they have been absent without leave for 30 days and show no intention of returning. Last year 3,800 Army soldiers deserted, meaning that the Army's desertion rate was one-sixth of what it was during the Vietnam War, when it totaled 5 percent of the rolls. 27 May 2003 |
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A
Genuine "Support Our Troops" Resolution "Be it Therefore Resolved that the U.S. Congress calls for the immediate return of U.S. troops to the U.S." - United for Peace and Justice and Code Pink. 24 March 2003 |
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Dissent
on the home front:
families of US soldiers in Iraq lead anti-war protests Poor conditions and low morale among troops have produced an undercurrent of dissent among US military families. We received more than 70 emails and phone calls from relatives, all but two were negative - about the treatment of soldiers, the reasons for the Iraq war, the pain of family separation and the insensitivity of the military bureaucracy. 25 October 2003 |
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Military Wife Rebuked for
E-Mail A campaign to raise awareness of the need for the [3rd Infantry Division] to return. 26 July 2003 |
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What
about going home "You call Donald Rumsfeld and tell him our sorry asses are ready to go home," Pfc. Matthew C. O'Dell, an infantryman in Sergeant Betancourt's platoon, said as he stood guard on Tuesday. "Tell him to come spend a night in our building." 15 June 2003 |
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Reservists
pay steep price for service Thousands of citizen soldiers charged with rebuilding Iraq face an even more daunting prospect when they return home: repairing the damage to their careers and personal finances. 8 June 2003 |
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Our children will die This is not some abstract war that they are talking about. Our sons and daughters will die, as will so many others. April 2003 |
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A
Colonel Runs The army wives, normally a bulwark of stoicism, staged a near-mutiny. A colonel at Fort Stewart, who had been sent to soothe a meeting of 800 of them, had to be escorted out of the hall under a torrent of jeers and angry questions. 5 July 2003 |
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Bring
Them Home Now! So we are going to give troops, their families, and critical veterans a voice. That's the reason-for-being of "Bring Them Home Now!" 26 July 2003 |
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They
spend billions of dollars in war and can’t spend a dollar on a
child 40% of the US Army is Black and 60% of the US Marines are Latino. One in 12 young Black men are in prison. Should these be the only choices? 16 April 2003 |
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A
Passion For Peace, Forged in War If they tell you you should go There is one thing you should know They wave the flag when you attack When you come home they turn their back. 2 March 2003 |
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Bring
Them Home Now! We parents -- many of us -- know that our enemies are not in Iraq. Our enemies are in office, and they have the blood of children –some of them ours --on their hands. Everyone is someone's child, even when they are grown. Even when they take paths we don't approve of. Even when they become soldiers, and are sent to pay for lies with their bodies and hearts and the blood of others. 26 July 2003 |
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What
US Soldiers Think At night time you think about all the people you killed. It just never gets off your head, none of this stuff does 19 June 2003 |
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In
Iraq, U.S. Troops Are Still Dying -- One Almost Every Day The family of Army Spc. Rasheed Sahib, 22, of Brooklyn is particularly suspicious of the military's explanation of his death. According to the Pentagon, Sahib and another soldier were cleaning their weapons when the other soldier's weapon accidentally fired on May 18 in Balad, Iraq. The round hit Sahib in the chest. 26 May 2003 |
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A
US Major refuses to obey orders Maj. Charmaine Means, said she could not agree to seizing the station and posting troops there. She argued that the presence of armed soldiers would intimidate the station's Arab employees into airing only programming produced by, or acceptable to, the American military. 8 May 2003 |
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The
Working Class on the War Front and the Home Front On March 20, the Congress overwhelmingly passed a resolution to "express the gratitude of the Nation to all members of the United States Armed Forces." Then, early the next morning, the House of Representatives voted to cut funding for veterans' health care and benefit programs by nearly $25 billion over the next ten years. May/June 2003 |
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Ghanim
Khalil, Army Reserve Will I support a war which will lead to hundreds of thousands civilians dead and wounded, endanger the future of the American people, and create chaos in the already unstable Middle East - all for the gain of a few powerful and wealthy people? February/March 2003 |
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Troops
start trend with sperm banks "Most of the time, it's the wife or girlfriend who gives us the call," he says. "They want to bank the sperm before the smallpox and anthrax vaccinations. And they're concerned because they've heard stories of men coming back from the Gulf and not being 100%, whether due to the vaccinations or to chemical and biological agents they were exposed to." 26 January 2003 |
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Parents
of soldiers in the Gulf want a delay Nancy Lessin, one of founders of Military Families Speak Out has a stepson, Joe, in the marines. She is a union activist from Jamaica Plain near Boston, Massachusetts who was previously active in opposing the Vietnam War. “If Iraq's main export was olive oil, we wouldn't be facing the possibility of war. This war isn't worth the life of one American soldier.” 17 January 2003 |
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US
soldier mother speaks out for peace Dear Mr. Bush, This is my son Tim. You have been referring to him as "military force." […] I want you to be continually mindful of the fact that your "military force" has a mother and two sisters that want you to value his life as we do. Not only do you have the future of our nation to decide, you have my son's future in your hands. April 2003 |
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US
sergeant in custody after grenade attack at US base An American army sergeant was in custody yesterday after one soldier died and at least 12 were injured in a grenade attack on a US command Centre in Kuwait. . . . The phenomenon of soldiers deliberately attacking those on the same side became known as "fragging" during the Vietnam war, because fragmentation grenades were often used. The attacks were often sparked by confrontations involving racism. 23 March 2003 |
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A
duty to disobey all unlawful orders Under the Nuremberg Principles, you have an obligation NOT to follow the orders of leaders who are preparing crimes against peace and crimes against humanity. 27 February 2003 |
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