The Iraq Moratorium

It’s no surprise that the anti-war movement is in a lull. The war in Afghanistan this month passes the War of Independence to become the second longest in US history. Thanks to a feeble news media, many in this country don’t even know that there are still 120,000 US occupation troops in Iraq (and about as many “private contractors” your tax dollars are paying for).

Now Barack Obama, the 2008 “peace candidate” whose victory drew heavily on support from voters sick of these wars, is sending 30,000 more young men and women into harm’s way in a country where drone attacks kill kids and create new insurgents on a weekly basis.

Many who have organized against and demonstrated against the wars since 2002 are worn out and hear the mournful strains of the old “protest is just self-indulgent and ineffective” song in their mind’s ear.

Well, folks, let me present to you the students in the California.higher education system and their allies: teachers, staff, parents and the community at large. They started fighting budget cuts last spring and in November, when the U of C trustees

The Iraq Moratorium Committee tried using Facebook to build Moratorium Day #27. One benefit from this baby step was getting several reports from individuals who took action by themselves on the Third Friday in November. Here are a couple.

From Northern Alabama:

I put a new bumper sticker on my car in the missile-building Bible belt town where I live, "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" (For non-Bible Belters, this is a variation of a popular Christian bumper sticker, "What Would Jesus Do?")

From Calabria, Italy, Mike Leonardi reports:

We had a dinner discussion with some locals and sent some letters back home. Thanks for ratcheting up!

A college professor in Southern Arkansas checked in too:

I taught my history classes about the trickery President Polk used to launch the invasion of Mexico.

From Tucson, AZ:

I got a "Vietnamistan" bumper sticker and am considering a showing of "Rethink Afghanistan."

 

So what did you do?

[The whole country has been stunned by the shootings at Fort Hood. Here is an insightful comment by active duty troops and veterans living there.]

Joint Statement from Under the Hood Café and the Fort Hood Chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War

Our community is distraught by the tragic shooting at Fort Hood yesterday. We extend our condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

As upset as we are about this incident, this shooting does not come as a shock. Eight years of senseless wars have taken a huge toll on our troops and their families. It’s time to admit that the wars in southwest Asia are in no one’s best interests. Bring the troops home now!

The Army has also repeatedly demonstrated that it is more interested in making soldiers “deployable” than it is in helping them fully recover from PTSD and other mental health issues. This often leaves soldiers with few options other than to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. The Army routinely deploys soldiers who are clearly suicidal and homicidal. Yesterday was a gruesome reminder of the possible violent consequences of this policy. We hope the Army now takes its duty to take care of soldiers more seriously.

We demand transparency from the Army and other federal agencies involved with this investigation.

Under the Hood Café provides military service members support with referrals to legal, financial, and medical services. It is a space for troops to freely express their views on the wars and the military. It also offers GI rights counseling. Iraq Veterans Against the War calls for the immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq, reparations for the human and structural damages Iraq has suffered, and full benefits for returning military.

Under the Hood Café
Iraq Veterans Against the War – Fort Hood Chapter