These people remind me of some other "soldier" protestors.
Posted on 02/22/2007 12:40:59 PM PST by OCCASparky
Edited on 02/22/2007 3:22:44 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
ACTIVE-DUTY U.S. MILITARY MEMBERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WAR ON '60 MINUTES'
Thu Feb 22 2007 15:21:11 ET
They say they are not disloyal. They say they are not shirking their duty and that they do not oppose war. But over 1,000 active-duty and reserve members of the U.S. military are against the war in Iraq and have said so in an unusually public way -- by petitioning Congress last month. Several of them appear to explain their actions in a Lara Logan report to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday Feb. 25 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
"I'm not anti-war. I'm not a pacifist. I'm not opposed to protecting our country and defending our principles," says Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto, an Iraq war veteran who, along with another veteran, initiated the petition. A 1995 law called the Military Whistleblower act enables military personnel to express their own opinions about Iraq in protected communication directly to Congress. Hutto and others spoke with 60 MINUTES while off duty, off base and out of uniform as conscientious citizens. "But at the same time, as citizens, it's our obligation to have a questioning attitude... about policy," Hutto tells Logan.
Marine Sgt. Liam Madden, who helped Hutto to found the organization they call Appeal for Redress that has attracted 1,000 other military members, is more blunt. "Just because we volunteered for the military doesn't mean we volunteered to put our lives in unnecessary harm and to carry out missions that are illogical and immoral."
These GIs and others Logan spoke with expressed frustration with their efforts in Iraq and believe there is no end in sight to the war. Other Iraqi war veterans still on duty there believe Appeal for Redress misses a larger point. "As an American soldier, I feel like we took an oath to obey the orders of our commander-in-chief and officers appointed over us," says Army Spec. James Smauldon. Said another serviceman in Iraq, Army Capt. Lawrence Nunn, "I know what IÕm here fighting for, to give the Iraqi people some democracy and hope, so I am 100 percent behind this mission. You don't sign up to pick which war you go to."
Another Appeal for Redress member counters, "Our leadership gets to choose the mission. Congress gets to choose the mission," Staff Sgt. Matt Nuckolls says. He's loyally committed to whatever Congress wants him to do but savors the right to question it. "My Congressman is Lacy Clay. I would like to tell him as a constituent of his, 'Is the mission in Iraq really what you want us to be doing?' And then [if] he responds yes, okay, well, we go back to Iraq and keep doing what we're doing."
Developing...
Fourth war in a row and the same Constitutional requirement by congress once again went ignored. Once again this is the end result. When will our elected ever learn? All but a few congresscritters ignored doing this to suit their own political agendas at a later date.
Well, the good thing is, the vast majority of our men and women in uniform do what is expected of them and serve honorably. Most of us know this, since a higher percentage of conservatives either have served or are related to someone who serves.
But this typical hit piece from 60 Minutes will not convey that. The average American out there who is not conservative will say to themselves "Gee...things must be really bad in the military..." and liberals are going to say it is just like Vietnam.
We know that nearly everyone who serves would rather be nearly anywhere else in the world, home with friends and family or in a safe duty station. But we also know that they signed on the dotted line, and they know it too. So they do what they signed up to do. An American trait...do your job to the best of your ability.
This "addressing Congress" petition business can work both ways (though long term, it's a bad idea). Just 10 minutes ago a Navy Iraqi veteran, missed his name, was on Neal Cavuto talking about launching a counter-assault on the Congress through this very same pathway.
why did they sign up? Why did they re-up? what in blazes are they doing in the US military if they don't want to be there?
Unless of course, Congress members or their staffers make it public, which they have.
"Remember when giving aid and comfort to the enemy was called treason?"
Yeah, but that was a long time ago. Back then we let our soldiers fight and win wars.
After 9/11, providing we could have got a declaration of war, who would it have been against?
"...doesn't mean we volunteered to put our lives in unnecessary harm..."
Talking points from Kerry.
The Washington comPost carried a story about their pathetic attention-grabbing techniques last month.
I think a previous article or blogger here identified this group as a result of "astroturfing" and not legit grass roots. They are raising the next generation's crop of John Fing Kerry's.
I wondered about this to, so I did a little looking. Turns out he was a Photographer's Mate on the TR. Not even a watchstander type.
The sum total of Hutto's experiences of Iraq is one six month tour in the Persian Gulf taking photographs aboard the Theodore Roosevelt.
Yep. This is another creation of the communist radical David Fenton and Fenton Communications.
Pay us, but don't ask us to do anything...wahhhhh
These clowns ought to get a lot of people "signing on" to their petition. So, so many. Lots n lots.
I am pretty sure they are funded by Moveon.org. Someone is paying for a very nice website for them.
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