For God's sake, Our combat vets need to speak out

Right now.

They have to speak out now, and I and many others are listening.

The wisdom of our country was paid in blood by so many in so many distant wars. They do have the greatest wisdom that needs the greatest weight applied.

There is a real reason so many returning combat vets are pacifists. They know better.

And we have so many "arm chair" warriors in this congress who pretend to tell us better - and they don't know a god damn thing about it, do they??.

I will only listen to guys that "did the deal". I am listening hard.

Talk.

Joe

I was talking to my nephew, two time Iraq war vet, with medical issues.

He thinks the chimp is an idiot, and he's embarrassed to have a president like that. Plus, he's happy to be out of uniform and not be under a gag order any more. That's not literal, there, I don't really know if there is a gag order in place, but I do know it is dangerous to bad mouth you CIC while on active duty. Under this group, I imagine it is worse than usual.

"Keep away from political things" crap - Man, the assholes really do say that now.

I heard that from my kid and fucking flipped.

Good luck to your nephew - I really wish him the best.

I know -THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCKING MISSION IS ANYMORE - and god bless them, neither do I.

Those are good kids, they sure don't deserve this at all.

I am sorry to go on. I am so mad they sent my boy back again to that hell hole, so mad.

Best to you dude,

Joe

If you haven't heard about Ehren Watada yet, please go to the website AND PASS IT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, AND SEND TO YOUR CONGRESSMEN TELLING THEM TO HELP EHREN!!! He is a young Army Lt from Hawaii who has already served in Iraq and refuses to go back. He speaks eloquently. And he speaks for hundreds who are afraid to speak for themselves. The few who have taken a stand against this illegal war-for-profit-and-control have been ostracized, threatened and harrassed at the least of it... THIS HONORABLE young man is going to be crucified because he is an Officer, and the FIRST OFFICER speaking out! HE NEEDS OUR HELP AND HE NEEDS HELP TO PAY HIS LEGAL EXPENSES... I ASK YOU ALL TO SEND A DOLLAR OR WHATEVER YOU CAN AFFORD TO HIS LEGAL DEFENCE FUND, PLEASE!!!

Here's todays news: (SOUNDS LIKE IT'S FROM AN OLD RUSSIAN GULAG, DOESN'T IT? Thanks to the Pnaczie's United fasciStates of America!)

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Lt. Watada refused orders this morning to deploy to Iraq
Now under confinment and complete gag-order without charge
June 22, 2006



Contributions to the Friends and Family of Lt. Ehren Watada legal and political defense fund are urgently needed to challenge these new restrictions.

U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren K. Watada reported to duty at 2:00 a.m. early this morning at Fort Lewis, Washington, and refused orders to move to the adjacent McChord Air Force Base to prepare to fly to Iraq. Lt. Watada believes that the war and occupation in Iraq are illegal, and thus participation in the war is also illegal.

Lt. Watada’s attorney Eric Seitz said, “This morning Lt. Watada has been restricted to base without any actual charges or proper process. By placing a complete gag order on Lt. Watada, the military has again shown that their first concern is silencing Lt. Watada's speech in opposition to the illegal war in Iraq. We will immediately challenge these highly questionable and improper restrictions." Mr. Seitz is currently the only non-military person authorized to have any contact with Lt. Watada.

Lt. Watada is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the war in Iraq. By refusing to participate in the on-going Iraq war and occupation, Lt. Watada joins a growing number of high ranking military officers, West Point graduates, and current and former members of the armed services who have expressed their opposition to the actions of the United States in Iraq. Lieutenant Watada’s refusal comes in the wake of a series of charges and convictions against lower ranking soldiers for participation in war-related crimes: 9 Marines charged with premeditated murder yesterday, charges of a massacre in Haditha, Iraq and convictions at Abu Ghraib Prison.

Lt. Watada faces possible court-martial charges for refusing to participate in the Iraq war and occupation and intends to defend himself based on the illegality of the Iraq war and occupation. Lt. Watada, age 28, was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii where he enlisted in the Army and was obligated to serve on active duty as an Army officer for a term of three years concluding on December 3, 2006. Lt. Watada was stationed at Ft. Lewis in January 2006, when he first asked to resign his commission because as he stated, "I am whole-heartedly opposed to the continued war in Iraq, the deception used to wage this war, and the lawlessness that has pervaded every aspect of our civilian leadership."



National organizing PDF poster


On June 27, a national day of action in support of Lt. Watada and coordinated through the website www.ThankYouLt.org will take place in dozens of US cities, including: Ft. Lewis, WA; Tacoma, WA; Honolulu, HI; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Harrisburg, PA; San Francisco, CA; Oklahoma City, OK; Atlanta, GA; Corvallis, OR; Medford, OR; New York City, NY; and Pittsburgh, PA.

Lt. Watada’s mother, Carolyn Ho, who flew in from Honolulu, Hawaii to support her son, said today, “My son’s decision to refrain from deploying to Iraq comes through much soul searching. It is an act of patriotism. It is a statement to all Americans, to men and women in uniform, that they need not remain silent out of fear, that that they have the power to turn the tide of history: to stop the destruction of a country and the killing of untold numbers of innocent men, women, and children. It is a message that states unequivocally that blindly following orders is no longer an option. My son, Lt. Watada’s stance is clear. He will stay the course. I urge you to join him in this effort.”

Judy Linehan, of Military Families Speak Out said, “As the mother of an officer who deployed to Iraq with Lt Ehren Watada’s Stryker Brigade in their first mission, I know the human cost of war intimately. I stand in solidarity with Lt Watada as he breaks ranks with a Commander-in-Chief who has flaunted international law with impunity in the prosecution of this illegal war and occupation of an unarmed country. The lieutenant’s quiet resolve and quest for truth facing into our government’s fabricated deceptions carry hope to a world that trusts in the rule of law. Thank you, Lt Watada, for your courageous stand.”

ThankYouLt.org
http://www.ThankYouLt.org

Everything you said true.

Wadatda is clearly speaking from conscience.

Where the hell are the rest of us, our combat vets??????

Talk, we are listening!!

Joe

I still fume at the Repug treatment of Cleland and Kerry, and I will NEVER forgive their mocking purple band-aids at the Republican convention in 2004. John Kerry wears three, but I rate two of those Purple Hearts, and watching a group of drunken, pus-gutted, conventioneers belittle the ribbon filled me with a rage that smolders to this day.

I am not Kerry's biggest fan. Not for President - but damn, Kerry is clearly a good american, a genuine war hero.

What really pissed me off - how does some bastard tarnish a guy that won a bronze star, a SILVER STAR - with a straight face, you know????

You know, I just think the republicans don't even know what that means to win that kind of honor, I really don't.

But guys that fought know - and I think it is their time to talk.

That is a thoughtful post Bravo,

My compliments,

Joe