Military members' war protest gaining steam

[sabra]

http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_4547042

Military members' war protest gaining steam

WASHINGTON -- The number of military service members protesting the Iraq War through official communication to their members of Congress nearly doubled since Monday to 118 soldiers and Marines, according to a lawyer consulting the group.

Marine Sgt. Liam Madden, 22, of Rockingham, Vt., was one of the first active-duty service members and Iraq veterans to file an appeal of redress through a whistleblower provision in military law, saying the war has "too much of a human cost."

...

"I'm pretty confident I'm not degrading any government official," he said in an interview Monday. "I'm opposed to the policy in Iraq. I don't think anything I'm doing is illegal."

Asked if he expects a backlash from his protests, Madden said, "I'm aware it's a possibility."

[marmar]

1. It's kind of a coup d'etat by proxy...

Clearly they've had it.

[Tempest]

2. This is how the organized Vietnam protests started

Find a copy of "Sir, No Sir" and watch it.

The Vietnam protests were started by Vietnam veterans, not by peace groups.

[alfredo]

6. and that was where John Kerry first stood before congress and

spoke truth to power. Nixon saw Kerry as a threat, and to this day, corrupt Republicans still see him as a threat.

[Alamom]

3. Wonderful. I hope their "number" increases daily. n/t

[Karenina]

11. Exponentially!!!

[atomic-fly]

4. On CNN this morning...nt

[Lars39]

5. Now 118 ! K&R

:kick:

[sarge43]

7. There's a story from WWI

Following the mutiny in the French army, an old noncom was asked why he of all people should mutiny. He answered, "Citizens should not be treated like this."

[LynnTheDem]

8. EXCELLENT.

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

:patriot:

"I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God."

:patriot:


A crime against peace, in international law, refers to the act of military invasion as a war crime,specifically referring to starting or waging war against the integrity, independence, or sovereignty of a territory or state, or else a military violation of relevant international treaties, agreements or legally binding assurances.

Chief American prosecutor, Robert H. Jackson:

"To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole."

-Nuremberg Tribunals

[stanwyck]

9. Did you catch the active duty Marine

on Olbermann last night? I wish one of the chickenhawks had been there to debate him. He would have very politely, and very effectively, squashed the faux Rambo. Nothing like someone who's actually been there speaking the reality. Meanwhile, back on talk radio, a horde of fat old men lecture about war. Which they've never experienced.
Who listens to these guys?
And why?

[justinaforjustice]

10. Let's Help Expand the Protest Letter Movement

We need to publish a sample copy of a letter of protest to a congressional representative on D.U. so other soldiers who want to join in can have a form to work from for their protest.

Does anyone have a copy of a protest letter which could be published on D.U. for other soldiers to use? Also, it would be helpful to have the citations for the relevant military regulations and U.S. Code provisions.

[gratuitous]

12. The word "hero" gets tossed around pretty casually

Practically anyone in uniform is identified as a hero in the popular media. I don't know if it's just a courtesy or a misdirected patriotism, but it degrades the word badly. But I'll call Sgt. Madden a hero for this action.