Dear friends,I continue to travel with Iraq war veteran and resister, Kyle Snyder, who remains AWOL after returning last week from Canada and attempting to be discharged from the Army. Right now we are in Chicago, where Kyle spoke to a well attended press conference on Monday, calling on the people of Illinois to vote against the war policies of the Bush administration. (They did, supporting a referendum to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by an 8-1 margin!)
We are finding lots of support in Chicago, from veterans groups, military familes, peace groups and others. Kyle has been speaking in public forums and to university students. There continues to be a lot of national and international media interest in Kyle's struggle to be discharged from the Army.
On Thursday, Nov. 9, at 11 pm EST, Kyle was interviewed on the Alan Colmes radio show, which airs on 60 radio stations throughout the U.S. His 30-minute interview then generated another hour-and-a-half of discussion with calls from veterans who testified about war crimes in Iraq and Vietnam as well as recruiters' lies. To hear this interview, go go http://www.foxnews.com/radio/alancolmes/index.html
The Army has not yet given a reasonable response to our call for Kyle to be released from military service without any punishment. At one point, Kyle had been willing to accept an Other Than Honorable discharge that we understood the Army was offering him. But this deal evaporated when he presented himself to Army authorities at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
So Kyle is AWOL again. (AWOL's new meaning: "A War Of Lies") At the risk of arrest, he is speaking out bravely on behalf of war resisters and active duty GI's. His old unit, the 94th Engineers, now based at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, is slated to return to Iraq in January for the 3rd time. The Army wants Kyle to return to that unit, and will not say what they will do if does. Could they order him back to Iraq?
Thanks to all of you who have made calls to the Commanding General at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The phones have been ringing off the walls there. Now it is time to make the phones ring at Fort Leonard Wood. Say hello to Fort Leonard Woods's brand new commander, Major General William McCoy, Jr., recently returned from the U.S. occupation of Iraq (you can read his emotional address upon assuming his new command at http://www.flw-guidon.com/).
Here are the numbers to call at Fort Leonard WoodOffice of the Commanding General (that's how they answer) 573-596-0131Public Affairs Office, tel. 573-563-4013 or 4105, fax: 573-563-4012, email: alleym@wood.army.mil
We want to deliver one clear message:
RELEASE KYLE SNYDER WITHOUT ANY PUNISHMENT
For more information on Kyle's campaign and how you can support it, please visit the webiste of Courage To Resist, http://www.couragetoresist.org/. Monies are much needed and you can make an online donation there.
Last Friday, Nov. 3, Kyle was interviewed by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales on Democracy Now. You can watch or listen to this interview at http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/03/1431228. You can also read and/or download a written transcript.
Another Iraq war veteran and resister,Ivan Brobeck, returned from Canada on election day to the Marine base at Quantico, Virginia. Ivan was recruited into the Marines when he was 17 and fought in Iraq when he was only 19. Ivan is prepared to face a court martial, if necessary. The Marines have not yet decided what they will do with him. To read Ivan's open letter to President Bush, go to http://www.couragetoresist.org/ivanbrobeck/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17
Below are links to two articles I have written about U.S. war resisters. They were published, respectively, by Z magazine and CCCO's Objector. The Z magazine article includes much of the Counseling Memo of the War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada (http://www.resisters.ca/), and the Objector article discusses the injustice of the military's handling of Conscientious Objectors.
Sanctuary and Counseling for War Resisters (Z Magazine)http://zmagsite.zmag.org/JulAug2006/condon0706.html
Support for War Resisters Grows (The Objector, pg. 11)http://www.objector.org/2006JulyObjector.pdf
GI's (or their families) who are seeking discharge from the military or need counseling on how to deal with other issues they may be facing within the military are well advised to contact the GI Rights Hotline, 405 14th Street, Suite #205, Oakland, CA 94612, toll free number: (800) 394-9544 (from the US), (215) 563-4620 (from other countries) Fax: (510) 465-2459, Email: girights@objector.org, web: http://www.girights.org/
Active duty GI's who have information and support will be more likely to follow their consciences and to obey international and U.S. laws against illegal wars and war crimes.
Supporting war resisters is more important than ever. Who else will hasten the end to the unjust, illegal, and unwinnable wars in Afghanistan and Iraq?
for peace and justice,
Gerry Condon
(206) 306-4103
_______________________________________________
Soldier Say No / Project Safe Haven
SoldierSayNo@yahoo.com, projectsafehaven@hotmail.com
http://www.soldiersayno.blogspot.com/
6 comments:
I came across this and I just have to say that if he is AWOL he needs to face what he decieded to do.
This was his choice and he needs to be an adult and take whats coming. He joined. NO ONE HELD A GUN TO HIS HEAD AND MADE HIM. He knew he might have to go overseas, he knew he could go to war. You can't join the military and think that you couldn't go to war. that it's just another job, because it's not.
I don't agree with all your views, and that's ok because I'm glad you have them. You deserve to. But I just think this guy needs to stand up and be a man.
Good for you. This war has nothing to do with Americans, or freedom, or liberty or happiness. I'm not sure what this conflict IS about, but i can recognize what it has nothing to do with. My heart cries for the youth of america that has been duped, during this period in our Nation's history, into mindlessly submitting to tyranical posession. This presidency has done nothing but made the intelligent collective of the country feel ashamed every time we see our nation's flag. Our government will never appologize for the injustices and horrible inflictions imposed upon our soldiers, and we should all shed a tear at our apathy and unwillingness to make a necessary governmental change.
I wish nothing more then leniancy for those that have found the strength to follow themselves, even if that takes them out of service for this government, because should the time come those people will still serve our nation or they would have never enlisted.
Good luck, and dont give up hope.
I agree this war has nothing to do with Americans, or liberation. I joined the Army to become a stronger person and to protect the nation. I was wrong about the army. It's not about honor, or "army of one". It's about getting whoever can walk and shoot, criminals, drug addicts, or the poor and youth. The Army sees me as an expendable tool and that is all. I also will not kill or be killed for "Bush" or because of the possible consequences for doing what I know is right.
Anonymous 2. and 3. comment, all you should get is a sound violence protection act restraining order for all your verbal and emotional abuse and bullying and attempts at intimidation! Shut the hell up and tell your authoritarian-conservative and cult abuse trash those who would have you!!!
Anonymous 2. and 3. comment, I don't know what your problem is beside boredom but it must be pretty severe for you to go online just for abuse and bullying and writing trash that is most definitely at odds with human dignity. You have been forgotten at the denazification and at enlightenment! Are you drunk or doped or stoned when you go on the net?! I really wonder about your mental health issues. Probably you would be extremely well-advised to seek medical help in order to deal with your frustration, boredom, envy and jealousy in a more constructive way than taking it out on people who have nothing to do with your basic unhappiness.
Anonymous 4. and 5. comment, thank you so much for your support and understanding and open-mindedness. It's definitely appreciated!
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