Link to Cindy Sheehan's writings since 2004 at LewRockwell.com

[Karmadillo]

Sorry if this has already been posted, but I thought people might enjoy looking through them. Here's the link:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/sheehan/sheehan-arch.html

Past articles by Cindy Sheehan on LewRockwell.com

Is This Really Still America?
Cindy Sheehan wonders where she lives.

No More Sobbing Mothers
In America or Iraq.

Stories From the Front
Cindy Sheehan on fables the military tells our kids.

Still Not Worth It
Cindy Sheehan on the war that took her son.

Mr. Bush, You Killed My Son
Cindy Sheehan testifies at John Conyers's hearings.

A Lie of Historic Proportions
Cindy Sheehan on the war that stole her son's life.

Gold Star Families for Peace
Cindy Sheehan is interviewed by Kevin B. Zeese.

Name Withheld Pending Notification
Cindy Sheehan on losing a son to the war machine.

Pulling No Punches
Cindy Sheehan on the warfare state.

Dear George and Dick
I feel I can be informal, since you killed my son.

The Amazing Hypocrites
Cindy Sheehan on the Congress, Terri Schiavo, and war.

Empty Boots
Cindy Sheehan vs. a Marine veteran on the war and the AFSC.

Not Worth My Son's Sacrifice
Cindy Sheehan on the war and the soldiers.


Here's an excerpt from one:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/sheehan/sheehan11.html

Stories From the Front
by Cindy Sheehan

<edit>

These are not isolated stories from the illegal occupation but they are illustrative of what is happening to our young people who thought they were doing the right and honorable thing by enlisting in the military. This is an immoral war that our troops never should have been sent to in the first place, and once they are there and have done their time, it is very difficult for them to get out of the distant mental desert and come home to their loved ones.

Not only are the backend policies of retention shady, but the front-end policies of recruiting our vulnerable youth are often downright unethical. Few citizens in our country (I know I didn’t) realize that an enlistment contract is only binding on the recruit. Once the recruit raises his/her right hand and swears allegiance to the government, that recruit becomes the property of Uncle Sam and is bound by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Ethics, promises, and moral correctness often fly out the window as servitude, hardship, and heartache fly in.

The only recruiting story I know by heart, and can effectively comment on, is my son Casey’s. I have heard too many similar stories, however. When he was recruited in May 2000, he was promised the moon to get him to join, and he ultimately got an early grave. He was promised a $20,000 signing bonus: he received $4500 and was told that he could use the rest for college. Casey wanted to be a deacon in the Catholic Church, so when he enlisted in the Army, he was promised he could be a Chaplain’s Assistant: don’t believe the Army Band stories, either. When he got to boot camp, he was told that his promised specialty wasn’t open, and he had the choice of being a Humvee mechanic or a cook. His recruiter told him he could finish college while in the military, he could never even get approval to take one class. All of these broken promises mean nothing to me. One does, however. After Casey enlisted he knew I was upset. He told me, "Mom, you don’t have to worry, Sgt. (I forget his name) told me that since I scored so high on the ASVAB (military competency) test, I will never see combat, even if there is a war. I will only be in a support role." I can still hear his voice saying those exact words to me. Those words chilled me to the bone then, and have haunted me since 9/11. First of all, because I thought Casey would be sent to fight terrorists (and "terrorists") wherever they might be, and I could see George and his warmongering band of neocons rushing us into a crazy invasion of Iraq. My premonition came true and Casey was KIA 04/04/04: a mere 5 days after his unit arrived in Sadr City, Baghdad: IN COMBAT. The most troubling thing is, though, that some recruiters are still promising young people that they won’t have to go to Iraq if they sign up. I am being told that all the time by young people who talk to the multi-level marketers working towards their bonuses…oops, I mean military recruiters.

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[Karmadillo]

1. Kick

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