Thursday, December 07, 2006

THIS JUST IN! WHAT'S HE MEAN "WE"?

AFTER A LEISURELY THURSDAY AFTERNOON SPENT IN THE ROSE GARDEN PLAYING FETCH WITH BARNEY THE WHITE HOUSE DOG AND TONY BLAIR THE WHITE HOUSE POODLE -- BARNEY CAUGHT MORE STICKS IN THE AIR AND YAPPED FAR LESS -- BULLY BOY EMERGED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
 
 
WHILE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK BOBBY GATES FIRED UP PATTI LABELLE'S "NEW ATTITUDE" ON THE JAM BOX ("WE'RE LETTING HIM BE IN CHARGE OF TUNES FIRST," EXPLAINED SECRETARY OF STATE & ANGER CONDI RICE.  "THEN WE'LL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT HE'S UP TO THE JOB OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE."), A NATION SCRATCHED ITS HEAD AND WONDERED:
 
"WHAT'S HE MEAN WE?"
 
AFTER LYING A NATION INTO AN ILLEGAL WAR AND REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST GOING TO WAR, AFTER DUBBING HIMSELF "THE DECIDER," SUDDENLY -- WHEN THERE'S BLAME TO BE HANDED OUT, BULLY BOY WANTS TO TALK "WE"?
 
 
 
Starting with peace news.  As Thomas Watkins (AP) observes, "For a wanted man, Pfc. Kyle Snyder is keeping a remarkably high profile."  Recapping, Snyder self-checked out of the US military while on leave after serving in Iraq.  He went to Canada in April of 2005.  There he spoke out publicly and, following the return from Canada of US war resister Darrell Anderson, Snyder made the decision to return as well. On October 31st, turned himself in at Fort Knox only to self-check out again after discovering the military had lied yet again. Since then Snyder has been underground, surfacing to speaking out against the war.
 
Watkins reports that, despite a warrant being out on Snyder, he's traveling the West coast and speaking out such as in San Diego at the start of the week where his speech included, "Seeing children begging for food and water after two years of occupation, you really start to question if you are the good guy."  Speaking with Snyder is war resister Darrell Anderson and, Watkins notes, "a mobile chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War".
 
As Indybay IMC noted, "Friday, December 8th, 7:30pm at the College of Marin in Kentfield, segments of the film "Ground Truth" will be shown, and Iraq combat veteran-turned-war-resister Darrell Anderson will speak. Also that evening, at 7:30pm at the Buena Vista United Methodist Church in Alameda, the film "The Ground Truth" will be shown, and there will be a panel with Rev. Michael Yoshii, and Bob Watada and Rosa Sakanishi. That night in San Jose, there will be a reception and fundraiser for Kyle Snyder at 6pm at the San Jose Friends Meeting House. On Saturday December 9th, there will be a peace vigil in support of Lt. Ehren Watada, in front of the MLK, Jr. Library in San Jose from 12-4pm."   [Bob Watada is Ehren's father and Rosa Sakanishi is Ehren's step-mother.]
 
These events are part of the National Days of Action to Support GI resistance and GI rights" that Courage to Resist is calling from this Friday (Dec. 8th) through Sunday (Dec. 10th).
 
David Zeiger (Common Dreams) writes of these actions and notes the importance of these actions: "Today the new GI resistance movement is growing -- more soldiers are going public with their opposition, thousands are going AWOL, the first GI coffeehouse opened recently (with internet!), and the antiwar movement is realizing that supporting these soldiers is the next step.  It's time for us to escalate public pressure and action in support of the growing movement of thousands of courageous men and women soldiers who have in many different ways followed their conscience -- upholding international law, taking a principled stand against unjust, illegal war and occupation and standing up for their rights.  Widespread public cupport and pressure will help create true support for courageous troops facing isolation and repression, and help protect their civil liberties and human rights."
 
Zieger is the director of Sir! No Sir! which documents that war resistance within the military during Vietnam and, for those planning house parties, is highly recommended. (Click here for a community review.)
 
Right now, events are known to be scheduled in Alameda, CA; Honolulu, HI; Kentfield, CA; Long Beach, CA; Maui, HI; Missoula, MT; Montpeiler, VT; Nanuet, NY; New York, NY; Olympia, WA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; Santa Barbara, CA; San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; Tallahassee, FL; Vancouver, B.C. Canada; Worcester, MA.
 
 
1) Support for War Objectors
 
2) Protect the Right to Conscientious Objection
 
3) Protect the Liberties & Human Rights of GI's
 
4) Sanctuary for War Objectors
 
 
As Thomas Watkins (AP) notes, "The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have seen some 19,000 troops total go AWOL since 2001."  Kyle Snyder, Darrell Anderson and Ehren Watada are among the US war resisters who have gone public.  They are part of a resistance movement within the military that also includes Joshua Key, Ivan Brobeck, Ricky Clousing, Mark Wilkerson, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Patrick Hart, Clifford Cornell, Agustin Aguayo, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, and Kevin Benderman. Those are some of the war resisters who have gone public and over thirty US war resisters are currently in Canada attempting to be legally recognized.

Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Appeal for Redress is collecting signatures of active duty service members calling on Congress to bring the troops home -- the petition will be delivered to Congress next month.
 
 
Recommended: "Iraq Snapshot"

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