Far From Iraq, A Demonstration Of a War Zone
There’s a lot of weirdness every day in the capital city, but this one pushed the envelope: 13 Iraq war veterans in full desert camo going on “patrol” from Union Station to Arlington National Cemetery. They carried imaginary assault rifles, barked commands, roughly “detained” suspected hostiles with flex cuffs and hoods — and generally shocked, frightened and delighted tourists and office workers.
“How does occupation feel, D.C.?!” shouted Geoff Millard, head of the local chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War, who previously served on a brigadier general’s staff in Tikrit.
They cut a swath across downtown, taking imaginary sniper fire and casualties on FULL
falloch:
“I don’t know what they’re doing, but they’re in everybody’s way,” said Janet Ruck, a career counselor in Washington…So they were intentionally getting in people’s way. I don’t think that people have lost touch or forgotten [about the war]. I don’t think this is the way to get people to connect.” Funny, but Iraqi people find tanks and bombs and no-go zones ‘in their way’ to the point where millions of them have left the country.
People in the US find it quite easy to dismiss what’s going on - the war’s 1000’s of miles away, just don’t watch the (paltry covering in) the news. It’s far easier to connect with Britney’s most recent tonsure.
Can someone help me find out some stats - 97% of all foreign military bases in the world are US bases, the rest taken up by UK, France and a few other countries. Does anyone know if it’s been calculated what the carbon footprint of the US military overseas is? Or where I can find out this sort of stuff, for a leaflet we’re wanting to distribute?
Thanks!
20 March 2007, 7:03 pmemma:
Have not seen any news from the US anti-war alternative sites about David Hicks’s treatment from the Kangaroo military court at Guantanamo Bay. I thought this would be of interest to you all, as it clearly shows the hypocracy of an illegal bunch of US yahoos, who dare call themselves representatives of military justice.
Cindy Sheehan when she was here in Australia committed herself to support David, but I have not cited anything from her on this matter.
This case is important, because it shows how the rest of the Guantanamo prison sufferers will be treated by this disgusting bunch of humanity. David’s case is a cynical political excercise organised between Bush and John Howard for Howard’s forthcoming federal elections. They both need the illusion of home grown terrorists for their political purposes of keeping the general population terrorised.
In stark contrast David’s US Marine legal resentative Major Michael Mori has the utmost respect from many many people here in Australia He is an exceptionally honest and fearless person, and has not been afraid to speak out against the injustice of David Hick’s treatment in Guantanamo, and also of the weak case the US had against David. And I am sure we shall hear the truth from Major Mori after the military decision tomorrow.
What a joke, two of David’s lawyers thrown out of the
Kangaroo Court - no wonder David gave up and pleaded guilty, After now into his sixth year in this hell-hole and then this final kick in the face. Now David has to ‘prove his guilt’??????? - and these thugs have more power than the civilian courts in America!
After viewing the film “Road to Guantanamo” last night, in all honesty as a humanist I am finding it very hard to feel sorry for anyone who is part of the occupying US forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.
30 March 2007, 6:41 amMike D.:
That seems to be the general attitude, I dont give a frack what you do in Iraq.. dont get in the way…
6 April 2007, 4:51 pm