IRAQ VETERANS AGAINST THE WAR NEED OUR SUPPORT

This March 13-16, the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will gather in Washington DC to reveal the truth about the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. In what will be history's largest gathering of U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Iraqi and Afghan survivors, eyewitnesses to the war will share their experiences in a public investigation called Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some of you will remember a similar investigation in 1971, when Vietnam Veterans Against the War gathered in Detroit to expose the atrocities and devastation that was the war in Vietnam. That event gave the world a glimpse into the systemic brutality of the war and helped turn public opinion against the Vietnam War.

Winter Soldiers, according to Thomas Paine, are those who stand up for the soul of their country, even in its darkest hours. With this spirit in mind, Iraq Veterans Against the War will stand up to make their experiences available to all who are concerned about the direction of our country.

BUT THEY NEED OUR HELP!!

IVAW needs to raise over $100,000 for the Winter Soldier campaign. The money will be used to fly Veterans, as well as Iraqi and Afghani citizens to Washington, and to support outreach, media coverage, site needs, video feeds, and other associated costs.

Only those who have experienced the war and occupation first hand can speak out and tell the horrible truth. But without our contributions, their voices will not be heard. These brave men and woman need us to donate as generously as possible to make this campaign possible.

Vermont Labor Against the War, Central Vermont Peace and Justice (CVPJ), the Peace and Justice Center (PJC), and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) are joining together to raise money for this important campaign, The money we raise will help support Vermont members of IVAW to attend Winter Soldier. Vermonters such as Liam Madden, Matt Howard, Adrienne Kinney and other IVAW members have asked us to show our support for their efforts.

View a powerful video about the Winter Soldier campaign and what Iraq Veterans Against the War stand for.

To donate to this campaign, please send a check, tax deductible, made out to Iraq Veterans Against the War, to:

Joseph Gainza, American Friends Service Committee, 73 Main St., Montpelier, VT 05602-2944

Withdrawal of the Vermont National Guard

H.746 is a bill to bring the Vermont National Guard back from Iraq. Sponsored by Rep. Mike Fisher (D-Lincoln), H.746 asserts that all authority for deployment of the national guard has expired and calls on the Governor to order our Vermont contingent home immediately.

The bill lays out the legal authority for any deployment of the national guard outside the United States. In the case of the Iraq war, that power comes exclusively from the law passed by Congress in October 2002 authorizing use of military force against Iraq. That law permits the President to use the armed forces (including the state national guard) for only two purposes:

1) to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq (i.e. weapons of mass destruction), and

2) to enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.

Because there is no other lawful basis for the deployment of Vermont’s National Guard, and because both of those purposes have already been met (there are no WMD and no outstanding UN security resolutions to be enforced), there is no legal basis for Vermont’s National Guard to continue service in Iraq. The bill therefore directs our Governor to take all necessary steps to withdraw Vermont National Guard units from Iraq.

Click here to read the bill (which lays out the legal argument very clearly).