Military Members Make an Antiwar Plea on Capitol Hilll

[marmar]

from the LA Times, via CommonDreams:


Military Members Make an Antiwar Plea on Capitol Hill
'We will not be silent while thousands die,' campaign's leader says.

by Noam N. Levey

President Bush's plan to send additional troops to Iraq is facing public opposition from a slice of the American population that rarely speaks out: the military rank and file.

A group of service members came to Capitol Hill on Tuesday armed with signatures from more than 1,000 military personnel who oppose the war.

"We will not be silent while thousands die," said Sgt. Liam Madden, a 22-year-old active-duty Marine and Iraq war veteran who is helping lead the effort to organize resistance to the war from inside the military.

Madden and other service members leading the campaign, which they are calling Appeal for Redress, urged Congress to stop the troop escalation and find a way to begin bringing forces home from Iraq.

When the campaign began three months ago, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow dismissed the first signatories as "65 people who are going to be able to get more press than the hundreds of thousands who have come back and said they're proud of their service."

The 1,000 signatories still represent a tiny fraction of the military personnel who have served in and around Iraq since the 2003 invasion.

But according to the group, those who have signed the appeal include about 100 officers. Approximately 70% of the signatories are active-duty military, while the rest are reservists or members of the National Guard, said Madden, who added that the group would not reveal the names of the signatories to protect them.

The Appeal for Redress reads simply: "As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home."

Madden and other leaders of the campaign arrived on Capitol Hill as members of Congress moved closer to challenging Bush's plans to send 21,500 more troops to Baghdad and Al Anbar province. ....(more)

The rest of the article is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines07/0117-07.htm

[Captain Hilts]

1. When you join you don't get a choice what conflicts you'll participate in...

As much as I have sympathy for these guys, I don't agree with what they're doing vis a vis the Big Picture.

Imagine what a precedent this sets. It won't work in liberals' favor in the long run.

[Tellurian]

5. Precedents have already been set..

when military commanders are conventional martinets.

In this case, it's the CIC holding that title.
Most military commanders are against troops being in Iraq.

We're looking at the first 1000...when there are most likely thousands more in fear of signing.

[Benhurst]

7. The Nuremberg trials set the precident. "The Commander in Chief"

is a war criminal.

[vote 4 democracy]

2. YEA!! This is exactly what needs to be done!!! They joined on a lie

and they should be protesting!!!!! Like Kerry in Vietnam they need to make it clear that the troops DO want to come home!!!

[marmar]

3. Agreed.

Duty, honor, country means speaking out when your country is engaged in an illegal war.

[NastyRiffraff]

4. This takes a lot of courage

Of course it represents a "tiny fraction" of the military who have served in Iraq....all these people are risking their careers, if not their freedom. You can bet the Pentagon and the rest of the Bush admin. will find out who signed this.

K&R. This is good stuff.

[Tellurian]

6. Their only hope is the entire military sign en masse. nm