Coming to town

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I have made it a habit of always coming to conventions early to be able to see everyone come in. I have also set my departure at least a day later to see everyone off. I do this because I just can't get enough of these Family reunions.
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Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, and Gold Star Families for Peace are five groups yet one Family. For all of us to gather in one place is something that I don't want to miss, not even a minute. "How long must we suffer, before we realized that we must stand united." - Bob Marley
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I'm not going to argue with Bob. Peace comes when we tear down our barriers to see that all life is precious and humanity is shared by all. This is our mission.
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There are voices within the White House that would love for us to divide. They would love for us to bicker between ourselves and to call each other names to the point of meltdown.
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Too bad for them.
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We have already gone through the fires of war and we didn't melt. Here we stand together tall and confident. Our voices speak truth to power in a way no wall could be constructed. Instead we use those bricks to build a solid foundation for the house of Peace and Justice. This house will not wash away.

Hart Viges

www.VetSpeak.org

IVAW PRESS RELEASE re DNC Denver

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 25, 2008
CONTACT: Francesca Lo Basso

media@ivaw.org, 215-498-3347

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Updated Schedule of IVAW Events

DNC, Denver, CO

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Tuesday, Aug. 26
Operation First Casualty 10:30am, starts at Cuernavaca Park
Press Opportunity Noon-1pm, Civic Center Park (between Colfax & Broadway at
Veterans' Memorial)
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Wednesday, Aug. 27
Rage Against the Machine Concert at Denver Coliseum
Non-Violent March following concert
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Iraq Veterans Against the War call on Sen. Obama to endorse organization's goals:
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Denver, CO, Today, during the morning of Aug. 25, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) delivered a letter to Senator Barack Obama's DNC campaign headquarters asking that he endorse the organization's three points of unity:

• The immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq.
• Full and adequate health care and benefits to all returning service members and veterans.
• Reparations made to the Iraqi people for the destruction caused by the U.S. war and occupation.

The letter states, "A Presidential candidate dedicated to an anti-war platform should have no objections to the goals of our organization." For a full copy of the letter, please visit IVAW's website at www.ivaw.org.
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IVAW has requested a response from Senator Obama by 3pm Wednesday Aug. 27. The letter goes on to state, "In the spirit of grassroots democracy that praise as the means of change in American society, we will be marching non-violently [following Rage Against the Machine's performance at the Denver Coliseum]. Our march will hold accountable the Democratic Party for their initial and continued support for the illegal occupation of Iraq."
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*Members of IVAW will be available for comment from Noon-1pm at Civic Center Park on Tuesday Aug. 26, 2008 during their enactment of Operation First Casualty (OFC).
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OFC is an action where veterans reenact situations commonly encountered while deployed in the modern conflicts in the Middle East. The action is treated like a military operation with participants in full military uniform, however, there are no weapons used at any time. OFC illustrates what daily life is like for the citizens of occupied countries. OFC has already taken place in five major cities around the country since June 2007.
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Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) was founded in July of 2004 to allow servicemen and women from all branches of the military a chance to come together and speak out against an illegal, unjust and unwinnable occupation. IVAW currently has over 1,300 members in 49 states, Canada and on military bases in the United States and overseas. To learn more about IVAW you can visit our website at www.ivaw.org.

Francesca Lo Basso
National Media Coordinator
Iraq Veterans Against the War
media@ivaw.org (267) 519-4596

www.VetSpeak.org

Saying hello

Hello:

I'm signing on as a blogger for the Vets for Peace national convention here in St. Paul. I look forward to sharing my thoughts as the conference procedes and during the peace demonstrations, celebrations, and vigils during the RNC Convention that follows.

Peace,
Agent Orange

Profile:
Michael (Agent Orange) served in the Marines from 1968 to 1970, including a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam. He experienced combat in numerous patrols, search-and-destroy missions, and other major operations. Following his discharge, he witnessed the events leading up to the shootings at Kent State University, where he was a student. Thereafter, he actively participated in the peace movement until the War’s end in 1975, including the famed veterans’ march on Washington in 1971, when veterans, led by John Kerry, protested against the war they fought by throwing their medals over the Capitol fence. In 2001, he published a memoir of his service, Fire in the Hole: A Mortarman in Vietnam (Writers Club Press).

Since 1984, Michael has studied the Vietnam War and has volunteered as a guest lecturer for history and social studies classes. Currently, he co-teaches a class entitled, The 60s: The War in Vietnam and at Home, at the University of Minnesota, Compleat Scholar Program and another entitled, Into the Quagmire: A Discussion about the US Involvement in Vietnam and Lessons for Today, through the Seminar for InQuiring Minds Program. He is a longtime active member of Vets for Peace.

www.VetSpeak.org

Onward Through The Fog...

Conditions On The Ground

By

Randy Ludacer

After listening to the latest debate on when we might withdraw forces from Iraq it is clear that the latest operative euphemism for determining when to leave is the "conditions on the ground" as viewed by the commanders on the ground. General Petreaus, after crowing on all of the successes resulting from the surge, cautioned that all of these results are "fragile" and could be reversed quickly. So much for finality and victory.

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The political side of the problem, the one the Iraqis themselves were going to solve with the benefit of the additional time provided by the surge, seems equally elusive and beyond reach.

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Suspecting a red herring, or school of them, I looked elsewhere, eager to determine what issues concerned the Iraqis and what progress toward resolution had been made. Iraqi's former Prime Minister Allawi was appearing at a session of the Carnegie Endowment to speak on the surge, a golden opportunity. After listening to his rambling circumlocutionary diatribe, during which he tipped his hat to all the issues but suggested nothing concerning their resolution, I decided never to play poker with these guys, they don't have any "tells." Coming from a bazaari culture, this is somewhat understandable, since if you never take any position, you can never be accused of making a mistake and consequently cannot be held accountable if anything goes wrong.

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I tried to narrow my concerns to what in the Iraqi mind would constitute political success to the point where the standing by of the United States Army was no longer required. Stability appears to be the next buzz word. Did that mean the complete settling of old scores and the guarantee that those presently in control of the government, would continue as the control group? Given the volatile nature of politics in general, of Arabian politics in particular and the fact that some major fractional differences still exist and will continue to exist in Iraq's body politics, the prospect for continued disagreement seems all but assured.

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Are we looking for an end to a chicken and egg argument when all disagreement is resolved and all dissent quashed ? Does conditions on the ground mean we stay at the ready until Iraq is as quiescent as Switzerland ?

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Nothing happens in that part of the world without deadlines, and since all parties are in general agreement that 16 months seems reasonable, lets end the debate !

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www.VetSpeak.org

VetSpeak Foreign Policy & Campaign Topic Update:

Georgia On My Mind
By

Hoagy Carmichael & Stuart Gorrell, 1930

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Ed Note: Uncle Russ, VetSpeak's on-line sales and consignment editor, in light of the recent, and seemingly media spin driven political crisis, sent these lyrics as a suggestion for posting. The purpose; to once again bring attention to the fact, that the cold war repugs are still in the game and dangerously close lethal power, even though their time has mistakenly been believed to be long past. Not only does the title of this old standard bring to mind current political considerations; but the lyrics seem to echo the deja vu theme seen throughout our pages, re the view of the world from the old guard Right Wing tyrants, i.e. Kissinger, et al; based not on their long failed and also currently failing policies, as it applies to dealing politically with the rest of the world, then and now. WH

Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through
Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind...

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Georgia, Georgia, a song of you
Comes as sweet and clear as moonlight through the pines...

Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still, in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you...

Georgia, Georgia, no peace I find...

Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind...

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And the beat goes on...

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www.VetSpeak.org