Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 07:07PM
Iraq Veterans..........
Why we're against the war
Q: Why are veterans, active duty, and National Guard men and women opposed to
the war in Iraq?
A: Here are 10 reasons we oppose this war:
1. The Iraq war is based on lies and deception.
The Bush Administration planned for an attack against Iraq before
September 11th, 2001. They used the false pretense of an imminent nuclear,
chemical and biological weapons threat to deceive Congress into rationalizing
this unnecessary conflict. They hide our casualties of war by banning the
filming of our fallen's caskets when they arrive home, and when they refuse to
allow the media into Walter Reed Hospital and other Veterans Administration
facilities which are overflowing with maimed and traumatized veterans.
For further reading: www.motherjones.com/bush_war_timeline/index.html
2. The Iraq war violates international law.
The United States assaulted and occupied Iraq without the consent of the
UN Security Council. In doing so they violated the same body of laws they
accused Iraq of breaching.
For further reading:
[
www.yale.edu]
[
www.westpointgradsagainstthewar.org]
3. Corporate profiteering is driving the war in Iraq.
From privately contracted soldiers and linguists to no-bid reconstruction
contracts and multinational oil negotiations, those who benefit the most in this
conflict are those who suffer the least. The United States has chosen a path
that directly contradicts President Eisenhower's farewell warning regarding the
military industrial complex. As long as those in power are not held accountable,
they will continue...
For further reading:
[
www.commondreams.org]
[
www.publicintegrity.org]
4. Overwhelming civilian casualties are a daily occurrence in Iraq.
Despite attempts in training and technological sophistication, large-scale
civilian death is both a direct and indirect result of United States aggression
in Iraq. Even the most conservative estimates of Iraqi civilian deaths number
over 100,000. Currently over 100 civilians die every day in Baghdad alone.For
further reading:
[
www.nomorevictims.org]
[
www.guardian.co.uk]
[
DDA10894DE404482" rel="nofollow"
>select.nytimes.com]
5. Soldiers have the right to refuse illegal war.
All in service to this country swear an oath to protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and
domestic. However, they are prosecuted if they object to serve in a war they see
as illegal under our Constitution. As such, our brothers and sisters are paying
the price for political incompetence, forced to fight in a war instead of having
been sufficiently trained to carry out the task of nation-building.
For further reading:
[
thankyoult.live.radicaldesigns.org]
[
youtube.com]
[
youtube.com]
[
girights.objector.org]
6. Service members are facing serious health consequences due to our
Government's negligence.
Many of our troops have already been deployed to Iraq for two, three, and
even four tours of duty averaging eleven months each. Combat stress,
exhaustion, and bearing witness to the horrors of war contribute to Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a serious set of symptoms that can lead to
depression, illness, violent behavior, and even suicide. Additionally, depleted
uranium, Lariam, insufficient body armor and infectious diseases are just a few
of the health risks which accompany an immorally planned and incompetently
executed war. Finally, upon a soldier's release, the Veterans Administration is
far too under-funded to fully deal with the magnitude of veterans in need.
For further reading:
[
www.ncptsd.va.gov]
[
www.vets4vets.us]
7. The war in Iraq is tearing our families apart.
The use of stop-loss on active duty troops and the unnecessarily lengthy
and repeat active tours by Guard and Reserve troops place enough strain on our
military families, even without being forced to sacrifice their loved ones for
this ongoing political experiment in the Middle East.
For further reading: [
www.military.com]
8. The Iraq war is robbing us of funding sorely needed here at home.
$5.8 billion per month is spent on a
war which could have aided the victims of Hurricane Katrina, gone to
impoverished schools, the construction of hospitals and health care systems, tax
cut initiatives, and a host of domestic programs that have all been gutted in
the wake of the war in Iraq.
For further reading:
[
www.costofwar.com]
9. The war dehumanizes Iraqis and denies them their right to
self-determination.
Iraqis are subjected to humiliating and violent checkpoints, searches and
home raids on a daily basis. The current Iraqi government is in place solely
because of the U.S. military occupation. The Iraqi government doesn’t have
the popular support of the Iraqi people, nor does it have power or authority.
For many Iraqis the current government is seen as a puppet regime for the U.S.
occupation. It is undemocratic and in violation of Iraq’s own right to
self-governance.
For further reading:
[
riverbendblog.blogspot.com]
10. Our military is being exhausted by repeated deployments, involuntary
extensions, and activations of the Reserve and National Guard.
The majority of troops in Iraq right now are there for at least their
second tour. Deployments to Iraq are becoming longer and many of our service
members are facing involuntary extensions and recalls to active duty.
Longstanding policies to limit the duration and frequency of deployments for our
part-time National Guard troops are now being overturned to allow for repeated,
back-to-back tours in Iraq. These repeated, extended combat tours are taking a
huge toll on our troops, their families, and their communities.
For further reading:
[
www.latimes.com]
Q: Why do Iraq Veterans Against the War call for the immediate withdrawal from
Iraq?
A: There are several reasons why immediate withdrawal is the critical first step
toward solving the problems in Iraq.
1. The reasons and rationale given for the invasion were fraudulent.
There were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq during the time of the
invasion according to US officials and former chief UN weapons inspector Hans
Blix. The idea that Al Qeada and the 9/11 terrorist attacks were connected to
Saddam Hussein and the Baath party were proven false in the 9/11 Commission
Report. Members of the Bush Administration have admitted that they
“misspoke” in the run up to the war.
2. The presence of the US military is not preventing sectarian violence.
The US occupation of Iraq has proven to be unable to prevent sectarian
violence and halt an escalation towards a civil war. Despite having an average
of 140,000 troops in country since the occupation began, internal violence and
attacks against civilians and Iraqi security forces have been on a steady
incline.
3. The occupation is a primary motivation for the insurgency and global
religious extremism.
The insurgency can be broken down into many individually named factions
with various goals, beliefs, and techniques. However, our membership of veterans
believe that the occupation of Iraq is the primary thing encouraging the
insurgency and giving it legitimacy in the eyes of many Iraqis. Likewise, other
people of the Islamic faith are encouraged to resist America ’s policies
internationally based on how they perceive our military operations in the Middle
East.
4. We can no longer afford to fight this war of choice.
The financial burden is destroying our domestic programs that could be
used to protect us from natural disasters, provide medical programs, or help
improve education. We are jeopardizing the US economy and putting strains on the
budgets of important government agencies like the Veterans Affairs
Department.
5. National security is compromised.
Funds that could be used to protect our ports and transportation are being
stripped away while our National Guard units are on constant deployments instead
of being used to protect and defend us here at home.
6. The world is becoming more dangerous.
International terrorist attacks have increased and it has become more
dangerous for Americans to travel abroad. Approval for US policy has decreased
and the dislike of Americans has increased.
7. Our national “moral authority” is being undermined.
The US has lost credibility to much of the world as the defender of
liberty and freedom and our national identity is eroding. We can no longer
deploy our armed forces for peace keeping measures with the good faith of the
international community. We need to regain the respect and faith of the global
community. This begins by withdrawing our troops from Iraq and helping the Iraqi
people rebuild their country and society.
8. The majority of American citizens, Iraqi citizens and US military would
like to see an immediate end to the war in Iraq.
If we are truly a democracy and we aim to create a democracy in Iraq our
leaders will represent the will of the citizens and lead according to their
wishes.
9. The military is broken.
We are abusing the small population of armed service members with multiple
deployments while using inadequate vehicles and equipment. Less than one half of
a percent of the American population is serving in the active armed forces,
which is the least amount in the last century. Only 25% of the troops in Iraq
are there for their first tour, while 50% are there on their second tour, and
the remaining 25% are there three times or more. We continue to involuntarily
extend soldiers with Stop-Loss, recall them repeatedly for additional service
using the Individual Ready Reserve, and send soldiers with diagnosed medical
problems into combat.
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 07:26PM
your point is?
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 07:52PM
"Q: Why are veterans, active duty, and National Guard men and women
opposed to the war in Iraq?"
CAUSE THE DICK THAT POSTED THIS SHIT IS NOT A
VETERAN, HE'S A FAG THAT LIKES IT IN THE ASS, A REAL AMERICAN LOVES THE PAYBACK
WE'RE GIVING TO THOSE DAMN RAGHEADS!
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 07:55PM
One big glaring question is......WHO GIVES A BIG FAT RATS ASS WHAT THE HELL THE
UN SAYS? The UN can kiss this soldiers hairy ass and so can you. Your no damn
service member and if you are your a disgrace.
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 08:02PM
This video explains exactly how you dicks are, ignore soldiers being killed and
concentrate on politics to try to push your personal ways.
Rep. Marsha
Blackburn Exposed As Blatant Hypocrite (Just like 99.9% of all other
Politicians) Ron Paul 2008!
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 08:02PM
amen brother. Been in over 20 and never even come close to finding that sort of
loser attitude not to mention all the blatant falsehoods he cites. Most of the
crap he's spewing is straight out of the liberal playbook on the war. Bunch of
little chicken shits.
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 08:26PM
Soldiers Against
War? Email this to Soldiers....
Anyone out there that doesn't agree with this video should immediately ENLIST,
otherwise, SHUT YOUR HYPPOCRITICAL, TWO-FACED, shit-talking mouths...... go join
know or quit "hoping" others will DIE, same thing!
anon Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 08:26PM
a clear example of surrender and it would all be over:
drop the luxor on mecca.
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 08:35PM
Boo Hoo Hoo... they blew my leg off Dad...... Oh well shit happens.
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 08:55PM
let me guess...you're surprised that there's collateral damage in a war zone?
or maybe the kid wandered into a mine field put up by their own people?
or maybe you're claiming that the U.S. targets civilians?
or maybe you should've voted the 2nd time around?
ORLANDO399 Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 09:27PM
probaly a roadside bomb planted by the terrosist,not the u.s., doucebag
madmex2000 Report This Comment Date: September 25, 2007 11:56PM
we carpet bomb there towns, its freedom on the march. What do you excpect
anon Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 01:53AM
hey digger, i thought you were a tool i used to give you a hard time. but the
more i hear from you the more i like you.
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 02:39AM
you
attempted, how's that ear?
NOT2 Proud tubbe UnUhMerickuuuun Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 03:50AM
Uh....
Soooooo...let me get this straight.....
"Wure soldiers ana we like to kill shit dead..."
"Doughn matter why, wuhl thank somethin' up".
Uh-huh..Uh-huh, uh-huh....
Brilliant.
You're as damaged as the politicians that make you a neccessary evil.
We wind up spending all our nation's wealth on you tards.
Go though and tell your fucktard Right Wing Project for the New American Century
Pimps, you're dancing the final chorus on the Iraq Clusterfuck.
You need your career path ass transferred to permanent assignment in
Afghanistan, where may you can do something good besides lick GW's uptown never
showed up for duty ass......
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 04:34AM
so if that's the case weasle dick, then why aren't you there protesting your
panties off?
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 04:48AM
Anonymous Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Q: Why are veterans, active duty, and National
> Guard men and women opposed to the war in Iraq?"
>
> CAUSE THE DICK THAT POSTED THIS SHIT IS NOT A
> VETERAN, HE'S A FAG THAT LIKES IT IN THE ASS, A
> REAL AMERICAN LOVES THE PAYBACK WE'RE GIVING TO
> THOSE DAMN RAGHEADS!
Rules were meant to be broken hey?
Nothing too dodgy. If you wouldn't show your mother don't upload it. Illegal /
disgusting / indecent images are RIGHT out.
I find this image indecent.
No more of this racist garbage! We are not the KKK
Can't be racist against Blacks or Jews but can get away with saying USA should
kill all Arabs?
madhatter Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 05:06AM
Well, I believe everything that can be thrown at this poster has been
said...
so I will just say, If that were an american child on the streets of new
york,
because we didn't fight back, would your needle dick,spineless ass be
posting
on here?
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 06:50AM
Without a doubt, this is a tragic scene. However, the picture is almost
certainly the result of a Sunni suicide truck bomber that exploded in a Shiite
market place. It happens with horrifying regularity, killing mostly women and
children. The irony of this post is that if the U.S. suddenly withdrew their
troops, there would be a civilian bloodbath as various Arab factions would be
free to use indiscriminate violence to gain power. Hundreds of thousands of
civilians would die. The U.S. would then be blamed for not preventing this.
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 09:30AM
There's already been at least a 100,000 civilians dead.... and yes I would be
pissed if our country (in NY or anywhere else) was being occupied and civilians
were being killed just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time or at all
for that matter.
We have no business being there, it was all for weapons of mass destruction from
the beginning and that inteligence was an outright lie, lies on top of lies, we
are building and have already built bigtime military bases in Iraq, that was ONE
of the goals and if you look at the middle east in general and map out all of
our current and future bases you will see OIL is being surrounded, if anyone
here talking shit has anyone over in Iraq don't cry if any shit happens, you
supported it.
You guys call all your family and friends and talk them into enlisting TODAY,
there is no reason to think about it, you already have your minds made up, less
talk more action guys.
Civilian contractor - KBR - getting killed......
KBR Convoy Ambushed in Iraq
Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq war
Pigs_Blood Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 11:14AM
I'm curious why on Monday Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began his
speech at Columbia University....rather than end with a prayer that Allah would
hasten the coming of the Islamic Messiah known as the "Mahdi" or the
"Twelfth Imam" or the "just and promised One" as he did in
2005 and 2006 in his speeches at the U.N., the Iranian leader actually began the
speech this way.... "Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam al-Mahdi and grant
him good health and victory and make us his followers and those to attest to his
rightfulness"....why has he moved the prayer to the front of his
remarks?....it's not yet clear, but it's important to note that in 2005,
Ahmadinejad was telling colleagues that the end of the world was just two or
three years away, and that the way to hasten the coming of the Mahdi was to
annihilate Israel and the U.S....that was two years ago....now, he's no longer
burying the lead....yet much of the American media is....they don't seem to
realize how central Ahmadinejad's Shiite Islamic eschatology (end times
theology) is to Iran's current foreign policy....and that's why they are missing
how dangerous this regime really is....when the Mahdi arrives on earth, Shiite
scholars say he will appear in Mecca and Medina, but where does he go
then?.....not to Iran....not to Jerusalem....not to Europe or Russia....he
supposedly heads for Iraq -- Kufa, to be specific....that's what Shiite leaders
have taught for centuries....and this helps explain why Iran is sending
insurgents, weapons and money into Iraq, to create the conditions of chaos and
carnage into which the Mahdi can arrive, finish off the U.S. and Israel, and set
up a global Islamic caliphate headquartered in Iraq....who's the leading Shiite
insurgent in Iraq?....Muqtada al-Sadr....what's the name of his militia?.....the
Mahdi Army. Why is the American left completely blind to the existential threat
posed by radical Islamic leaders such as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?
Pigs_Blood Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 11:27AM
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a host of claims about Iran's
domestic and foreign policy in his appearances in New York Monday. The
Associated Press compares his claims to what is independently known about the
situation there:
About the Media
AHMADINEJAD: "On a daily basis, we have tens — many, many newspapers or
dozens of newspapers in our country, and the number of those newspapers that are
against the government in place right now are perhaps 10 times larger than the
newspapers that are pro- government."
REALITY CHECK: There are more newspapers, usually smaller in circulation, that
are opposed to Ahmadinejad than those that are in favor of his administration.
However, the government has closed liberal papers and Washington-based Freedom
House said "the Iranian government has forcibly closed or banned more than
100 publications since 2000." Iran has also limited the access of the
foreign press.
___
About the Internet
AHMADINEJAD: "In our country there are tens of millions of people who are
connected to the Internet. They have access to it. So if you're talking about
immoral — like access perhaps to immoral sites, well, you would agree with me
that those sites are harmful for society. Nobody can really allow access to
those. But our people are the freest people in the world, the most aware people
in the world, the most enlightened, so to say."
REALITY CHECK: Iranians generally have access to mainstream Web sites, including
U.S. media and government sites. But according to Reporters Without Borders,
Iran today filters 10 million "immoral" sites. In addition to
pornographic sites, some dealing with religion and politics are targeted and
since the summer of 2006, the censors have concentrated on online publications
dealing with womens' rights, the group says.
___
About Women
AHMADINEJAD: "The freest women in the world are the women in
Iran."
REALITY CHECK: Women enjoy more rights in Iran than in some other Middle Eastern
countries, but far fewer than those enjoyed in the West. Women can drive, vote,
own property and run for any public office except the presidency. However, they
have to by law cover their hair, avoid body-hugging clothing on pain of arrest
and fine by a court. The court testimony of two women is equal to that of one
man and women can't get a passport for foreign travel without the permission of
their father. A woman cannot divorce easily, while a man can divorce his wife
whenever he wants.
Girls are considered adults at the age of 9 while boys become adults at 15. If a
man and a woman are injured in an accident, the man gets double the punitive
damages.
___
About Homosexuals
AHMADINEJAD: "In Iran, we don't have homosexuals, like in your country. We
don't have that in our country. In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon. I don't
know who's told you that we have it."
REALITY CHECK: Mahmoud Asgari, 16, and Ayaz Marhoni, 18, were hanged publicly in
1995 in the city of Mashhad on charges of raping younger boys. They said before
their executions that they were not aware that homosexual acts were punishable
by death. In 2003, a 16-year-old girl said to be suffering from a psychological
disorder was executed in Neka, a town in northern Iran, on charges of having an
illegal sexual relationship.
gurugoose Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 02:40PM
fuck me how did he get his foot caught in the chain of his bike ??
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 05:17PM
aaaaauuuuuggggghhhhh
-that is awful...it's too sad for words I'm gonna cry
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 06:46PM
This will warm your heart. Just when you have lost faith in human kindness.
Someone who teaches at a middle school in Safety Harbor, Florida, forwarded
the following letter. The letter was sent to the principal's office after the
school had sponsored a luncheon for the elderly. An old lady received a new
radio at the lunch as a door prize and was writing to say thank you. This story
is a credit to all humankind. Forward to anyone you know who might need a lift
today.
Dear Safety Harbor Middle School:
God bless you for the beautiful radio I won at your recent senior citizens
luncheon. I am 84 years old and live at the Safety Harbor Assisted Home for the
Aged. All of my family has passed away. I am all alone now and it's nice to know
that someone is thinking of me. God bless you for your kindness to an old
forgotten lady. My roommate is 95 and has always had her own radio, but before I
received one, she would never let me listen to hers, even when she was napping.
The other day her radio fell off the nightstand and broke into a lot of pieces.
It was awful and she was in tears.
She asked if she could listen to mine, and I told her to kiss my ass.
Thank you for that opportunity.
Placelowerplace Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 07:37PM
Can this picture be deleted yet?
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 10:37PM
this is for the kid and his father in this pic
[
www.youtube.com]
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: September 26, 2007 11:28PM
another great 'ole Ray song
[
www.youtube.com]
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 27, 2007 03:00AM
nothing really to say,just wanted to keep the thread going...How 'bout them
COWBOYS!
smartyjones Report This Comment Date: September 27, 2007 03:02AM
Poor kid,there's always professional soccer though.
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 28, 2007 06:51AM
"The current Iraqi government is in place solely because of the U.S.
military occupation. The Iraqi government doesn’t have the popular support of
the Iraqi people, nor does it have power or authority."
Pure bullshit. The current Iraqi National Assembly was elected by the Iraqi
people and the election had a high voter turnout. The majority of the daily
violence in Iraq is caused by foreign Islamic extremists who have every
intention of turning Iraq into an non-democratic Islamic theocracy. This comment
shows how much you are talking out of your ass, and discredits the rest of you
arguments.
Anonymous Report This Comment Date: September 29, 2007 02:36AM
A good one, wrote by US Soldiers in Iraq..... two of them have died since this
op-ed.
R.I.P.
Overturned