Sunday, July 29, 2007

Article from The Nation on Soldiers in Iraq

Over the past several months The Nation has interviewed fifty combat veterans of the Iraq War from around the United States in an effort to investigate the effects of the four-year-old occupation on average Iraqi civilians. They described a brutal side of the war rarely seen on television screens or chronicled in newspaper accounts.

The abuses documented in the article, often fatal, usually go unreported and almost always go unpunished, according to these veterans. Those interviewed, who stress that these acts were perpetrated by a minority of US troops, describe a military operating without clear rules of engagement and without adequate training.

Reported by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian, The Other War is a 15,000 word special issue of the current issue of The Nation. Read the report here.

Truth in Recruiting Meets Aug 5

Moving forward on Truth in Recruiting!

 

When:  Sunday August 5 6:30-8 pm

Where: Kaladi Brothers on Brayton Drive

 

To some who haven't made it to recent meetings - we have been working

with the Anchorage School District on developing procedures the high

school administrators must follow when dealing with recruiters

(military and college)  in the schools  These procedures will be

implemented this school year.  We have made progress, but we still

want to see the rubber meet the road.

 

Here are some topics for our August 5 meeting - to discuss and figure

out where we want to put our energies:

 

1.  Where we're at on school district procedures

 

2. Moving from procedure to policy:

 

     * Do we want to try to get the Daily News, the Press or KUDO to do

       a story on this work? This will put the pressure on ASD to know

       this is serious work.

     * Do we want to keep working toward a board policy?

     * Shall we organize a large group to sign up for "3 minutes of

       testimony on nonagenda items" at an upcoming board meeting?

 

3.  Adopt-a-School

 

     * Need volunteer to get ASD permission to post brochures for this

       next school year

     * Training?  Presence at schedule pick-up days?

     * Eyes and ears for implementation of new procedures

 

4. Outreach

 

     * Webpage, YouTube, blogging - Who're the internet whizzes in this

       group?  Just the opportunity!

     * Develop materials on the history of non-violent movements

 

5.  Other topics....?

 

See you in August!

Mel Langdon

277-5751

 

 

Jon Lockert

Jon4Paz@AcsAlaska.net

 

VFP Meeting in August

Howdy Vets,

 

I trust you have all been enjoying our glorious summer.

 

As you may have heard, the war continues and as vets we are obligated to organize opposition to this insane war and the equally disturbing gridlock in DC. We need to figure out how we are going organize local opposition. As vets, lots of people look to us for leadership and resolve.

 

How about meeting the 24th of August (I will check with Michael Burke at St. Mary’s to see if we can start using our Thursday night slots again).

 

This is what I posted on the Alaska Peace Coalition list serv:

 

It has been a couple of glorious summer months for the fortunate few who call Alaska home. I have recharged my solar cells and I am ready and I hope you are ready as well to do what we have to do to end the war.

Why do I say we? Congress just isn't ready--We quickly forget power rises up from the people--don't expect those at the top to ever rock the boat too much.

Read Sen. Feingold's indictment of Congress at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/senator-feingold-history_b_58130.html

I predict the American people's willing to oppose the war will build in September and culminate in a big demos in DC (and everywhere else, including Anchorage) in October. I will let you know how you can get involved in organizing SOON.

I have complained several times about the lack of a cohesive national peace movement. Well, the stars are lining up this fall--we are coming back together stronger than ever.

However, there are still several(?) branches of the peace movement planning events in September/October--SO there is something for everyone!

Sept. 14-21: Declaration of Peace -- a week of coordinated nonviolent actions.
http://vcnv.org/project/the-occupation-project

September 15: Turn Up the Heat Protest in Washington, D.C.!

Bush and the Pentagon are required to report to Congress on the progress of the "Surge" in Iraq on September 15. Congress will hold hearings the following week. The eyes of the national and international media will be focused on Washington DC and on the words and positions of the politicians and generals. We are determined to make sure that this so-called debate cannot take place inside Congress without them hearing the voices of thousands of angry veterans, students and working people demanding End the War Now!

http://www.pephost.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8553&news_iv_ctrl=3361
(This one involves ANSWER--they are radical--I think it is time we get radical)

National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (D.C. action - September 20th);

The Iraq Moratorium (a monthly day of action beginning September 21st);

The THIRD FRIDAY of every month--Join with millions to wear and distribute black ribbons and armbands, etc.

http://www.iraqmoratorium.org/

SEPT 22- 29: Encampment in front of Congress - Cut off the War funds - Build a People Peace Congress--Congress will not end the war, Marches alone will not end the war, It's time to shut down Washington DC -No more business as usual!
http://www.troopsoutnow.org/sept2207call.html

No War, No Warming (October 21st -23rd);
FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, NOT WARS FOR OIL! Join a global movement rising up against war and global warming by participating in a massive intervention in Washington DC or your own community. The Declaration of Peace is working with many other anti-war initiatives this summer and fall -- to consolidate our actions to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

http://nowarnowarming.org/article.php?list=class&class=20

October 27 Massive Regional Actions to End the War in Iraq


Regional Mobilizations being planned by United for Peace and Justice and member groups

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

 

 

Jon Lockert, 277-5255

Jon4Paz@AcsAlaska.net