Iraq Vets Let Americans Know the Brutal Reality of U.S. Occupation While Bush Gray-Washes “Progress”

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/24658

Iraq Vets Let Americans Know the Brutal Reality of U.S. Occupation While Bush Gray-Washes “Progress” in Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Sat, 2007-07-14 03:19. Media

By Kevin Zeese

While the Bush administration is trying to paint an improving picture in Iraq, veterans of the Iraq occupation are finding their voice. And, they are painting a picture of the U.S. role in Iraq that demonstrates why it is urgent for the United States to withdraw.

The voices of Iraq Vets have been so effective that the military has tried to silence their leaders with disciplinary efforts, but this has only given them more attention in the media. And, it has enraged vets that when they come home from risking their lives for a war started on false pretenses that the military is trying to muzzle them – prevent them from exercising their First Amendment rights on the most important political issue of the day.

Next week Iraq Veterans Against the War will be announcing a new campaign, the Tri-Folded Flag Campaign, that will make the point that “Funding the War is Killing the Troops.” This campaign is designed to hold the Congress responsible for their role in continuing the war. In particular, they will focus on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Democratic Whip James Clyburn. More than 1,800 tri-folded flags will be delivered to their offices representing the U.S. soldiers killed since the Democrats took control of the Congress. The announcement event will be on Tuesday, July 17 in Washington, DC and the campaign will continue through September.

And, the Nation Magazine is featuring the voices of Iraq vets in an article by Chris Hedges & Laila Al-Arian. They write about interviews they conducted with 50 Iraq war veterans that describe in vivid detail how the war is really being conducted and how civilians in Iraq are being mistreated, brutalized and killed. Killing of civilians is common. The article states: “The killing of unarmed Iraqis was so common many of the troops said it became an accepted part of the daily landscape.”

snip//

While politicians in Washington position themselves for the 2008 election and President Bush puts forward his uncompromising stay the course stubbornness despite reality things continue to deteriorate in Iraq. There is no question that the Democrats in Congress have the power to end the war. For example, the Democrats could filibuster continued funding unless it includes an exit from Iraq. The Republican minority has used the filibuster to continue the war but the Democrats don’t use their power to end it. And certainly President Bush as commander in chief could end the war.
Yet the war drags on and every day more soldiers and their families suffer the consequences of death, maiming and psychological trauma and at the same time Iraqis suffer the painful existence of being occupied with thousands of civilians killed every month, life without electricity, adequate food, fuel and other necessities of life as well as millions exiled and displaced.
Where will the leadership come to end the war? We must look to ourselves and bring elected ‘leaders’ with us. They are better at following then leading.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. Good article.

Speak out against Bush and his war and the righties paint you as unpatriotic...even if you are a war vet.

[babylonsister]

2. .