Tuesday, January 16, 2007

THIS JUST IN! WHEN THE WHIP COMES DOWN!

 
 
ON CBS' 60 MINUTES SUNDAY NIGHT, AN EXCHANGE WAS AIRED BETWEEN 'REPORTER' SCOTT PELLEY AND THE BULLY BOY OF THE UNITED STATES THAT WAS JAW DROPPINGLY BAD.
 
DECLARED THE BULLY BOY AT ONE POINT, "LET ME CORRECT SOMETHING ON THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN SADDAM HUSSEIN AND 9-11.  THAT WAS NEVER THE CASE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION.  YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAID WE NEVER HAD EVIDENCE THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN ORDERED THE ATTACKS ON 9/11.  AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHO CONTINUES TO SAY THAT."
 
PELLEY OFFERED INITIALLY THE RESPONSE THAT DICK CHENEY HAD "SUGGESTED THERE WAS A CONNECTION" BETWEEN SADDAM HUSSEIN AND 9-11 -- A VERY WEAK RESPONSE BUT SOON BULLY BOY IS ALLOWED TO DIRECT THE INTERVIEW AND PELLEY IS REDUCED TO RESPONDING, "YES, SIR."
 
 
ON 60 MINUTES, LESLEY STAHL INTERVIEWED RICHARD CLARKE IN MARCH OF 2004 AND HE TOLD HER THAT WHEN BULLY BOY FINALLY MADE IT TO D.C. ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, THE ADMINISTRATION WAS TRYING TO CONNECT IRAQ AND 9-11 AND THAT THIS CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE C.I.A. AND F.B.I. REPEATEDLY TOLD THE BULLY BOY THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
 
WHERE WAS THE CONNECTION?  IN THE ADMINISTRATION'S TALKING POINTS.
 
AS LINDA FELDMAN OBSERVED IN MARCH 2003, "IN HIS PRIME-TIME PRESS CONFERNCE LAST WEEK, WHICH FOCUSED SOLELY ON IRAQ, PRESIDENT BUSH MENTIONED SEPT. 11 EIGHT TIMES.  HE REFERRED TO SADDAM HUSSEIN MANY MORE TIMES THAN THAT, OFTEN IN THE SAME BREATH WITH SEPT. 11.  BUSH NEVER PINNED THE BLAME FOR THE ATTACKS DIRECTLY ON THE IRAQI PRESIDENT.  STILL, THE OVER ALL EFFECT WAS TO REINFORCE AND IMPRESSION THAT PERSISTS AMONG MUCH OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC: THAT THE IRAQI DICTATOR DID PLAY A DIRECT ROLE IN THE ATTACKS."
 
ATTEMPTS BY THESE REPORTERS TO REACH SCOTT PELLEY ABOUT HIS TUCKING HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS WITH A MEEK "YES, SIR" WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.  THE HEAD OF CBS NEWS EXPLAINED TO US THAT, ON TUESDAYS, "PELLEY LIKES TO WORK A 1/2 DAY AND THEN BLOW OFF SOME STEAM BY HEADING OVER TO MISTRESS MARSHA'S HOUSE OF PUNISHMENT."
 
 
 
 
 
Starting with war resistance within the military, US war resister Agustin Aguayo, a medic with the US army, gave his reasons for refusing to redeploy to Iraq for a second tour in a statement to the US Court of Appeals in DC which was preparing to hear his appeal to be designated a conscientious objector:
 
 
With or without non-combatant status I will not deploy to Iraq. I have been to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom II, and I know what to expect. I know what will be expected of me. And because of this first-hand knowledge, I simply cannot take part in this deployment. Some people might think that a fear of death is the reason for refusing to deploy. But that is incorrect. I have to be true to myself and do what is right. Even though I deployed as a non-combatant in 2004-05 I still carry guilt from my participation. While there as a non-combatant, I was still required to do guard-duty, although I chose to carry only an unloaded gun. While there as a non-combatant, I was still required to patch-up, treat, and help countless soldiers for "sick-call" in order to facilitate their prompt return to combatant duties. While there as a non-combatant, I was asked to drive soldiers around on patrols, patrols which could have been deadly to Americans and Iraqis alike.   
I regret involvement in those activities, because ultimately I was contributing to the war mission and enabling others to do what I oppose. By doing guard duty, appearing to be armed, even without bullets, I gave the false impression that I would kill if need be. I am not willing to live a lie to satisfy any deployment operation. By helping countless soldiers for "sick-call" as well as driving soldiers around on patrols I helped them get physically better and be able to go out and do the very thing I am against -- kill. This is something my conscience will not allow me to do. Although I myself did not pull the trigger, I now realize that what I did as a non-combatant nonetheless supported and enabled these missions.  
I cannot carry that burden on my conscience. When you know better you do better. 
 
 
Aguayo self-checked out of the US military on September 2nd and turned himself at Fort Irwin on September 26. Aguayo has argued that his Last Friday, Kevin Dougherty (Stars & Stripes) reported that the US military has charged Aguayo with desertion and missing movement and that conviction on both charges "could receive a maximum prison term of seven years".  The charge of desertion is interesting in that (a) Aguayo turned himself in, (b) he was gone less than 30 days, and (c) the US Court of Appeals was set to hear his case.  Also of interest is that, though no date's been set for the trial/court-martial, the military's decided to announce charges when his claim for c.o. status still awaits a ruling from the US Court of Appeals.
 
Turning to other war resistance news,  Iraq Veterans Against the War started Camp Resistance to show their support for  Ehren Watada who faces a court-martial February 5, 2007.  damon reports that they intend to stay "outside the gates of Fort Lewis and on the streets across the nation" in order "to make an impression large enough to influence the outcome of the trial".  What do they need?  They need:
 
financial support for getting IVAW members here at Fort Lewis, particularly on the day of the trial. Also, we envision Camp Resistance FOBs (Forward Operating Base) starting all over the country; in front of recruiter’s offices, military bases, etcetera. When we got kicked out of our campsite, we came to the realization that Camp Resistance is not a physical place, but a place within our hearts and minds. If your heart is filled with resistance to this illegal war and Love for LT, you can start a daily vigil in your local area or join us here at Fort Lewis.
 
They also need attention -- make sure your friends know and start demanding that media, big and small (also known as Useless & Useless) cover Camp Resistance.
 
 
Agustin Aguayo and  Ehren Watada are part of a movement of resistance within the military that also includes Kyle Snyder, Ivan Brobeck, Darrell Anderson, Ricky Clousing, Aidan Delgado, Mark Wilkerson, Joshua Key, Camilo Meija, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Jeremy Hinzman, Corey Glass, Patrick Hart, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Katherine Jashinski, Chris Teske and Kevin Benderman. In total, thirty-eight US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
 
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.
 
 
RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot"

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