Clipmarks | Winter soldier Clips

'We Were Told We Were Fighting Terrorists; the Real Terrorist Was Me'

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:58:04 GMT

I threw families onto the street in Iraq, only to come home and ﬁnd families thrown onto the street in this country, in this tragic and unnecessary foreclosure crisis. Our enemies are not ﬁve thousand miles away, they are right here at home, and if we organize and ﬁght, we can stop this war, we can stop this government, and we can create a better world.

We were told we were ﬁghting terrorists; the real terrorist was me, and the real terrorism is this occupation. Racism within the military has long been an important tool to justify the destruction and occupation of another country. Without racism, soldiers would realize that they have more in common with the Iraqi people than they do with the billionaires who send us to war.

We never got any explanation for our orders. We were only told that a group of ﬁve or six houses was now property of the U.S. military, and we had to go in and make those families leave their houses.

Tags: racism, iraq war, afghanistan, winter soldier hearings, winter soldier

Veteran Soldiers against the War

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:44:41 GMT

clipped by: Imnclady
clipper's remarks: Five years ago tonight, on March 19th 2003, the U.S. launched the invasion of Iraq. Half a decade later, as the occupation continues with no end in sight, some of the most powerful voices against the war have been the men and women who have fought in it. For four days this past weekend, soldiers convened at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland for Winter Soldier, an eyewitness account of the war and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. We broadcast their voices.

Clip Source: www.democracynow.org

Winter Soldier

March 13-16, 2008: US Vets, Active-Duty Soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan Testify About the Horrors of War in Echo of 1971 Hearings

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans gathered in Maryland to testify at Winter Soldier, an eyewitness indictment of atrocities committed by US troops during the ongoing occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War, the event was modeled after the historic 1971 Winter Soldier hearings held during the Vietnam War.

Although Winter Soldier was held just outside the nation’s capital, it was almost entirely ignored by the American corporate media. A search on the Lexis database found that no major television network or cable news network even mentioned Winter Soldier over the weekend, neither did the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times or most other major newspapers in the country.

More information: http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier

Organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War,

Tags: soldiers, iraq war, afghanistan, military, protests

Winter Solder!

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:15:52 GMT

clipped by: comiclist
clipper's remarks: The Winter Soldier is coming to the Marvel Super Squad!

Clip Source: i.marvelousnews.com

Green ‘Peace Party’ positions against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars compared to pro-occupation Clint

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:06:53 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: “The occupation of Iraq will continue whether a Democrat or a Republican moves into the White House in January 2009,” said Jason Wallace, Green candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 11th District <http://www.electwallace.us>; and a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War <http://ivaw.org/index.php>;. IVAW has announced ‘Winter Soldier’ (March 13-16), a four-day event bringing together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan <http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier>;. “The ILWU action planned for May 1 is evidence that working people are impatient with vague promises to end these wars. Will Ms. Clinton or Mr. Obama endorse the ILWU protest and pledge to call home all US military personnel immediately?”
“By calling the Iraq War a matter of military preparedness and botched strategy, Democrats are sidestepping the premise of the war,” said Bob Kinsey, Green candidate for the US Senate in Colorado <http://www.kinseyforsenate.org>;. “While it’s true that

Clip Source: greenpartypeacenetwork.wordpress.com

WASHINGTON, DC — Green Party leaders today compared the Green demand for an immediate end to the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan to the pro-occupation positions of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates.

The Green Party of the United States has called for immediate troop withdrawal and impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney for numerous crimes and abuses of power, including deception and manipulated intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. Greens also favor a sharp reduction in the military budget, shifting funds over to health care, conservation programs, efforts to curb global warming, and other urgent needs.

Democrats have retreated, our own Green presidential candidates — Jesse Johnson, Cynthia McKinney, Kent Mesplay, and Kat Swift — have aggressively promoted the Green Party’s position on the wars and on impeachment,” said Dr. Julia Willebrand, co-chair of the Green Party’s International Committee <http://www.gp.org/committees/intl>.

IVAW Winter Soldier on the Hill-Jason Lemieux

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:57:02 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: from the report:

Now extend it. Where does the line get drawn? At what point do you find the perfect balance between rules that must not be broken and soldiers or marines that must be cared for?

These are hard decisions they are being forced to make-but I think it is important to say these are decision they are forced into. Everyone in Iraq right now is forked, involved in a chess game where they must lose one of two crucial items. It is very hard to leave intact.

I will also agree with Jason that I find it hard to believe that his XO wouldn't completely understand that Marines are often quite happy to use a nuke instead of a flyswatter, if given the option. Army is much the same, in many ways. Few really consider the cost of the rounds. It's often a pleasure simply to shoot.

Clip Source: activedutypatriot.blogspot.com

[Video]

Clip Source: activedutypatriot.blogspot.com

here's starting off with Jason Lemieux. Everybody's favorite marine, he's the kind of guy I would kill to have in my squad if he would only sign back up with the Army. He's smart, disciplined, and honorable. Unfortunately, a little too honorable for the unit he was deployed with. Three deployments, folks. And for those of you bloggers keeping track, he states his unit very clearly at the very beginning of his speech.

One thing that's hard about what Jason talks about is that a lot of it is stuff that isn't really either black or white.

Like, for example. The chain of command promising to "take care of" Marines caught in wrongdoing. There are two things both tied together there-one good, one bad. I don't know about Marines, but I know that Army NCOs, at least, want to take care of their soldiers. And sometimes minor rules get broken. They always do. Everyone in the Army has broken or ignored at least one minor rule at some point in their career. Often it's to take care of a troop.

Tags: winter, soldiers

Winter Soldiers Hit the Streets

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:28:58 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: A late April poll conducted by CNN/Opinion Research Corp. found that nearly three-quarters (68 percent) of respondents opposed the Iraq war. The strategy of the regional IVAW groups is clearly meant to capitalise on the growing opposition to the occupation of Iraq among the U.S. public.

Christopher Diggins, a psychotherapist who attended the demonstration, reflected the feelings of many — that this strategy is important.

“This tactic is better because you have to get the community involved,” Diggins told IPS. “You have to have community awareness and support.”

“I want to show my solidarity for vets who are against the war, because it is the only way this war is going to stop,” he added. “It’s hard to have the war if nobody is going to fight.”

Clip Source: www.commondreams.org

SEATTLE - In a clear change of strategy to energise public anti-war sentiment, Iraq veterans led a determined demonstration of hundreds through the streets of downtown Seattle last Saturday, following regional Winter Soldier hearings at the Seattle Town Hall.

A larger Winter Soldier event occurred at the National Labour College in Silver Spring, Maryland from Mar. 13 to Mar. 16 earlier this year. But the strategy for those hearings appeared to be based on keeping the event from being directly affiliated with any demonstrations or anti-war activities in an attempt to reach a broader audience. Those hearings were closed to the public, and no demonstrations or other overtly public actions were tied to the event.

This tactic was apparently meant to draw in more national mainstream media coverage of the event, which, with few exceptions, did not materialise.

The Seattle regional Winter Soldier event was open to the public.

West Coast Winter Soldier: “Enough Is Enough, It’s Time to Get Out”

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:59:44 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: Worth the read. Much courage here.

Clip Source: www.commondreams.org

SEATTLE - Dozens of veterans from the U.S. occupation of Iraq converged in this west coast city over the weekend to share stories of atrocities being committed daily in Iraq, in a continuation of the “Winter Soldier” hearings held in Silver Spring, Maryland in March.

At the Seattle Town Hall, some 800 people gathered to hear the testimonies of veterans from Iraq. The event was sponsored by the Northwest Regional Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), and endorsed by dozens of local and regional anti-war groups like Veterans for Peace and Students for a Democratic Society.

“I watched Iraqi Police bring in someone to interrogate,” Seth Manzel, a vehicle commander and machine gunner in the U.S. Army, told the audience. “There were four men on the prisoner…one was pummeling his kidneys with his fists, another was inserting a bottle up his rectum. It looked like a frat house gang-rape.”

Winter Soldier to be re-Broadcast

Sat, 03 May 2008 17:37:16 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: If you missed this compelling program, listen in sometime. Very moving testimony from the soldiers who were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan by the Bush/Cheney criminals.

Clip Source: www.noliesradio.org

Saturday -- 1 Hour -- WINTER SOLDIER Teach-in --- Iraq Veterans Tell All

Saturday at 9am Pacific - 12 Noon Eastern - 16:00 GMT

n 1971, a courageous group of veterans exposed the criminal nature of the Vietnam War in an event called Winter Soldier. On March 13-16, 2008, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War gave first-person accounts of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground. That historic event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and present video and photographic evidence of war crimes they have witnessed. Radio audiences throughout the country were stunned and shocked by this gripping and honest testimony.This was the most important anti-war event in the United States in decades.

NO LIES RADIO CARRIED THIS EVENT LIVE.
NOW WE WILL RE-BROADCAST WINTER SOLDIER
Every Saturday hear one-two hours of this gripping testimony.

Winter Soldier II, same is the first

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:17:59 GMT

clipped by: n2sooners
clipper's remarks: There is a reason they are afraid of signing an affidavit.

Clip Source: www.redstate.com

Jason Mattera of Young America’s Foundation is at it again. He took to the streets of the Winter Soldier II event hosted by Iraq Veterans Against the War to ask participants if they would sign an affidavit or sworn testimony to the war crimes they claim to have witnessed or committed in Iraq.

The first Winter Soldier crew – John Kerry and friends – refused to do so and it’s clear the next generation is just as unwilling. Only one man in this video said he would sign a affidavit while the others said they would not or simply spoke around the issue.

These men are willing to speak openly on the immoral acts they saw overseas yet they will not commit to their own words:

Tags: winter soldier, military, politics, lies

Pentagon Holds Thousands of Americans 'Prisoners of War'

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:36:06 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

Pentagon Holds Thousands of Americans 'Prisoners of War'

There are at least 60,000 of them, but they're not on the DoD's list of soldiers missing in action.

Sgt. Kristofer Shawn Goldsmith was one of the many soldiers and Marines, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, who gave testimony at last weekend's Winter Soldier investigation. They spoke from personal experience about what the American military is doing in those countries. They gave examples of what they had done, what they had been ordered to do, what they had witnessed, how their experiences had wounded them, both physically and psychically, and what kind of care and support they have, or most often have not gotten since coming home. The panel Goldsmith was on was called "The Breakdown of the U.S. Military," so he surprised the audience when he said that he was going to talk about prisoners of war.

Tags: america, dod, army, military, pow

US Soldiers testify about war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:35:11 GMT

clipped by: petercasier

Clip Source: theroadtothehorizon.blogspot.com

Dozens of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans publicly testified this weekend about crimes they committed during the course of battle, many of which were prompted by the orders or policies laid down by superior officers.

The weekend gathering, called the Winter Soldier Event demonstrated that well-publicized incidents of U.S. brutality, including the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the massacre of an entire family of Iraqis in the town of Haditha, are not isolated incidents perpetrated by "a few bad apples," as many politicians and military leaders have claimed. They are part of a pattern, the organizers said, of "an increasingly bloody occupation."

One testimony:

Tags: iraq, afghanistan, war, war crimes

Winter Soldier Testimonies

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:15:50 GMT

clipped by: katsteevns
clipper's remarks: 2 dozen video testimonies of US soldiers back from Iraq. Not covered by the mainstream.

Clip Source: ivaw.org

Winter Soldier Testimony

We are preparing the Winter Soldier testimony videos - more will be posted here soon.

The Future of GI Resistance

Camilo Mejia

Jeff Englehart

Ronn Cantu

Garett Reppenhagen

Breakdown of the Military

Kristofer Goldsmith

Daniel Fanning

Lars Ekstrom

Matt Howard

Racism and War: the Dehumanization of the Enemy: Part One

Scott Ewing

Jeffrey Smith

Iraq Veterans Against the War

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:10:35 GMT

clipped by: katsteevns

Clip Source: ivaw.org

Over 800 Members, 42 Chapters, in 48 States. Find out how you can join our ranks!

Join IVAW

Over 800 Members, 42 Chapters, in 48 States. Find out how you can join our ranks!

Clip Source: ivaw.org

Mar 14 2008 Iraq Veterans Against the War Response to Department of Defense Statement on Veterans’ Accounts of Military Occupations (PDF)
Mar 14 2008 Iraq Veterans Against the War Response to Department of Defense Statement on Veterans’ Accounts of Military Occupations (PDF)
Mar 13 2008 Largest-Ever Gathering of Iraq Veterans Against the War Signals Growing G.I. Movement to Bring the Troops Home (PDF)
Mar 13 2008 Winter Soldier Schedule (PDF)
Mar 13 2008 Winter Soldier Testifier Biographies (PDF)
Feb 10 2008 Iraq Veterans: It’s our turn to tell our stories (PDF)

Winter Soldier Media Information

Media organizations can download the Winter Soldier Video News Release, a 113meg MPEG file, here.

Winter Soldiers testimony

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:49:51 GMT

clipped by: kkcapricorn
clipper's remarks: I've watched too much of this today. But it needs to be heard. There is some extremely graphic violence shown that some of the soldiers managed to capture on film.

Clip Source: ivaw.org

Winter Soldier

Panel: Rules of Engagement

Tags: winter soldiers, anti-war, testimony videos

How to Become a Concentration Camp Guard Without Even Trying

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:48:45 GMT

clipped by: Rasmus

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

The video to your right is a brief but telling testimony given by Chris Arendt at the Winter Soldier Hearings in Washington, D.C., on March 15. Arendt, out of options, joined the military at age 17 and soon found himself guarding detainees at the U.S. prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Arendt's testimony gives us the other side of the story of Gitmo -- the story of a reluctant jailer who found himself, at the age of 19, involved in the "legal black hole" that Guantanamo Bay has become.

Tags: usa, winter soldier, war on terror, gitmo