Posted on 06/12/2007 5:14:45 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
Iraq veterans discuss war opposition
Michael Blake joined the U.S. Army right out of high school and trained as a unit supply specialist. He served in Iraq from April 2003 to March 2004, mostly driving Humvees.
After his first tour of duty, Blake was one of 63 people that year to apply for an honorable discharge as a conscientious objector, and was one of 32 to be granted it.
Blake, and two other members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, spoke Saturday night to about 75 people at the Unitarian Church annex in Ithaca. The event was organized by Tompkins County War Resistance and the Ithaca Unitarian Social Justice Council.
Blake also told the story of his close friend, Timothy Swanson.
Swanson, who also opposed the war, served with Blake during his first tour of duty, and later helped Blake during his application for conscientious objector status. Swanson had considered applying for conscientious objector status before he was called for a second tour of duty, Blake said.
This past February, Swanson was in a Humvee that was hit with an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Three of the four passengers in the vehicle, including Swanson, died from the attack.
“I pretty much collapsed as soon as I heard,” Blake said.
Blake joined the anti-war veterans' group in 2005, and now leads the Central New York chapter.
Phil and Eli, two other members of the chapter, joined Blake in recounting their journeys in the U.S. military and in the veterans' group. Phil and Eli are both currently enlisted in the Army and did not want their full names used. Some members of the military have experienced reprisals for speaking out against the war.
Both men are stationed at the Fort Drum army post in Watertown, where Phil said the group's fastest-growing chapter is based, having gained 10 members in the last two months.
Phil spoke at length about the situation that the U.S. has created in Iraq, where he said 655,000 people have been killed since the start of the war on terror. In addition, 4 million people have been displaced, be it internally or externally.
“Where do we go from here? Where do we start?” Phil asked.
The anti-war movement is fragmented, he said. It needs to unite, with a single, clear message that the war needs to end immediately.
“The day my boots hit that desert, I realized I had a serious conflict of guilt,” said Eli, who served from September 2003 to September 2004.
Eli soon found that he was not alone in his sentiments against the war. He found the veterans' group to be “almost like a second family.”
After the veterans spoke about their experiences, those in attendance broke into three discussion groups charged with deciding what could be done to help the current state of affairs. The groups also asked the veterans questions they had regarding the movement.
Blake explained Operation First Casualty, a sort of street theater event that the veterans' group has organized in three cities: New York City, Washington D.C. and Santa Monica, Calif. Blake participated in Operation First Casually in Manhattan about two weeks ago. About 10 group members dressed in their uniforms and mimicked how they patrolled the streets of Baghdad in Iraq. They yelled, screamed and even detained some civilian volunteers and broke up staged riots.
Their goal was to show American citizens what happens on a regular basis in Iraq, said Blake. Further information about Operation First Casualty can be found at the group's Web site, http://www.IVAW.org.
More servicemen and women need to be aware of the anti-war veterans' group, Blake said, and Phil and Eli agreed. To this end, the group is planning more outreach at military bases, and encourages people to get the word out.
The group also needs money, Blake said. This is mostly because members need to travel to outreach events, or to events such as Operation First Casualty, and “we're broke,” said Blake.
The three veterans also showed support for counter-recruitment efforts, at places such as high schools.
There will be another meeting at 7 p.m. July 14 at the Unitarian Church Annex in Ithaca.
Time to start emailing the base commander?
Blake, and two other members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, spoke Saturday night to about 75 people at the Unitarian Church annex in Ithaca. The event was organized by Tompkins County War Resistance and the Ithaca Unitarian Social Justice Council.
That's all I need to know."Unitarian" equals atheist and who among us are more supportive of "peace" than the atheists?
Blake joined the anti-war veterans’ group in 2005, and now leads the Central New York chapter.
“The day my boots hit that desert, I realized I had a serious conflict of guilt,” said Eli, who served from September 2003 to September 2004.
That was your cowardly impulses and you rationalized those impulses as guilt.
there’s nothing honorable in their actions and should they be discharged, their paperwork should reflect it as such.
Ithaca...Unitarian Church...Yadda Veterans Against Yadda....
The problem that these young men represent, IMO, is not their activist spirit. Rather, they don't know why the orders they're given facilitate progress, freedom and democracy. If they cannot see themselves as liberators then no one else will. To my mind, this story is indicative of a proximity problem with U.S. Army management/leadership.
“Time to start emailing the base commander?”
Would you deny freedom of expression to the very men and women who are being asked to risk their lives to defend it?
Of course. "Support the troops" doesn't apply to those who disagree with you. Anyone in uniform, from one stripe to four stars, becomes the enemy when he questions the wisdom of the plan. Haven't you been paying attention?
They are in the military. The military has always placed limits on the free speech of its members in order to maintain security, discipline, and espirit de corps. Most importantly, however, there is something troubling, and potentially dangerous to other soldiers, about a group of active duty soldiers meeting on a military base to organize opposition to their own mission.
Our loyal troops don't need to have to watch their backs from their "own" fellows.
One of my ex Sunday School kids has gone AWOL. It’s not about the war. It’s about leaving America. He doesn’t want to leave the booze, the drugs and his girlfriend.
“They are in the military. The military has always placed limits on the free speech of its members in order to maintain security, discipline, and espirit de corps. Most importantly, however, there is something troubling, and potentially dangerous to other soldiers, about a group of active duty soldiers meeting on a military base to organize opposition to their own mission.
Our loyal troops don’t need to have to watch their backs from their “own” fellows.”
Thus are atrocities born.
“having gained 10 members” ...and this is out of how many thousands of troops stationed there?
Funny how this group is speaking 2 1/2 hours south of Fort Drum in a liberal heaven, hiding in the Finger Lakes, and not in Watertown, the nearby city.
No. Atrocities are born when soldiers don't speak out against acts of wrongdoing during the war. That's a different thing than attacking the mission and meeting clandestinely (and illegally) to oppose it.
“No. Atrocities are born when soldiers don’t speak out against acts of wrongdoing during the war. That’s a different thing than attacking the mission and meeting clandestinely (and illegally) to oppose it.”
It sounds, to me, like these soldiers are speaking out against the war, while it is going on. They have been there, and they are critical. Others have been there and are not critical, and their remarks are welcomed by some. Should we hear just one side?
“Funny how this group is speaking 2 1/2 hours south of Fort Drum in a liberal heaven, hiding in the Finger Lakes, and not in Watertown, the nearby city.”
It isn’t funny, it’s about money.
Big base=money for neighbors.
Big university=money for neighbors.
Michael Blake is a cretin and actually protested at Cpl. Swanson’s funeral...
Claiming Soldier “Died for A Lie”, IVAW Protests at US Soldier’s Funeral
http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2007/04/claiming-soldier-died-for-lie-ivaw.html
But there was another group attending Cpl. Swanson’s funeral. Compounding Keith and Dana Howard’s grief over the loss of their son, they had to deal with protestors at the American Soldier’s funeral. No it wasn’t the creeps at the Westboro Baptist Church. This time it was Michael Blake and his comrades from Iraq Veterans Against the War.
According to KSAT, the family asked the group to leave immediately. How did Michael Blake respond to the grieving family’s request? By spewing this vile screed to the media...
“I believe the family doesn’t want us there because they are uncomfortable with the idea their son didn’t agree with the war. They are uncomfortable with that idea. They cannot accept their son died for a lie.”
Don’t believe what the media reported? You can see the video here.
http://www.ksat.com/news/10937670/detail.html
According to KSAT, the family declined a request for an interview. Who could blame them?
Michael Blake even wrote his own personal eulogy to Cpl. Swanson for the IVAW website. Not content to dishonor just Cpl. Swanson’s sacrifice, Blake proclaimed “the over three thousand American soldiers” also died for a lie.
Ithaca? Is that close to Seneca Falls, New York?
Protestors had choice words for Madeline Albright.
“Protesters confronted Madeline Albright outside the induction ceremonies for the Women’s Hall of Fame, in Seneca Falls New York. The protest was against the U.S./UN sanctions against Iraq. The demonstration was called by a coalition of groups including the International Action Center, Iraq Sanctions Challenge, Pax Christi, Syracuse and Rochester.”
http://www.xs4all.nl/~peace/pubeng/inter/aa.html
Madeline Albright War Criminal.
Had problems in Ohio State in a Townhall Meeting.
http://www.zpub.com/un/un-ma.html
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