Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) was founded by Iraq war veterans in July 2004 at the annual convention of Veterans for Peace (VFP) in Boston to give a voice to the large number of active duty service people and veterans who are against this war, but are under various pressures to remain silent.
Why We're Against The War
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Who I'd like to meet: Anyone who agrees with the following:
* Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq;
* Reparations for the destruction and corporate pillaging of Iraq so that Iraqi people can control their own lives and future; and
* Full benefits, adequate healthcare (including mental health), and other supports for returning servicemen and women.
Next Event: Marks One Year of StLSpeaksOut Protests ------> JUNE 7 TH @ 2 PM <------ (I-44 exit L on Hampton, cross 40, R on Wells for parking)
Speaking Out Against: The Bush Administration The Destruction of our Constitution The War OF Terror Corporate Greed & Social Injustice
Please join us to make it the biggest protest yet! Public awareness is our goal! If you haven't made it out yet, now is the time! If you've joined us before, do it again! Shirts available for a $10 donation Come click an image on our page, they all link to great information! We Must be the Change we wish to see in the world! peace, StLSpeaksOut
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Indigenous Peoples Message to the U.S. antiwar movement
We call on the U.S. antiwar movement to acknowledge that the very establishment of the United States and it's expansion was built on the genocide against the First Nations/Indigenous Peoples of the continent, along with the enslavement of African peoples & exploitation of peoples from around the globe.
Iraq (and the over 130 countries that have a presence of U.S. military) is just a continuation of "Manifest Destiny" which cleared the continent for settler colonization. Thus it's not a "mistake" of U.S. policy, but is at the core of the very foundation of the U.S. from it's beginnings continuing thru to today.
Thus, we say that the antiwar mobilizations that are taking place in March/April 2008
1)have an indigenous person opening the events ackowledging the above history and it's continuation into the present day and how U.S. history is linked to today's war(s).
2)that there be an organized and visible collective presence of contingents focused on indigenous peoples concerns at the mobilizations along with that presence being also on the websites, press releases, media spokespeople, et. al of these groups/mobilizations.
3)that the indigenous names of cities/towns in the various indigenous languages be acknowledged by also being mentioned to remind people of the indigenous origins of this land (for example "Manatay" for what is now called Manhattan ) along with the peoples (for example: Lenape (& others)) and the original languages.
If you get a chance, please visit my Profile for a new episode of "Bewitched"! Well almost...It's another one of my adventures. Don't miss it...I just added lots of fun pics (I'll be adding more too), and it's a BLAST! *wink*
1st Saturday of Each Month Next Event: November 3rd @ 2PM We The People must stand up against: The Bush Administration The War OF Terror the Destruction of Our Constitution Corporate Greed and Social Injustice!!! Meet us here: Forest Park @ Wells Dr. & Concourse Dr. (Hampton at 40) We Must be the Change we wish to see in the world! peace, StLSpeaksOut
![United Pagans [*U.P.F.*]](http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/75/s_72bfdd9c43dec52ef4efeaa287cb256a.jpg)
