Iraq veterans present the first of the folded flags to Congress in "FUNDING THE WAR IS KILLING THE TROOPS" campaign

Iraq veterans present the folded flag to Representative Hoyer's Chief of Staff.




Iraq Vets Announce Tri-Folded Flag Campaign to Hold Congress Responsible:
"FUNDING THE WAR IS KILLING THE TROOPS"



Washington , DC : Iraq Veterans Against the War is urging a rapid and safe withdrawal of troops from Iraq , adequate funding of the needs of veterans when they return and the rebuilding of Iraq by Iraqis.

According to Garett Reppenhagen, Chair of Iraq Vets Against the War: " Iraq Veterans Against the War is a growing movement of Iraq War era veterans and active duty service members that are opposing the occupation of Iraq . Through our military experience we have learned that the continued presence of US troops in the Middle-East is instigating further hatred toward American Armed Forces and undermining our nation's security. As a result, our military in Iraq is viewed by the majority of the world as occupiers and not peace keepers. The Iraq Veterans Against the War stands by the belief that funding the war is killing the troops."

IVAW will be holding a press conference, rally and the delivery of Tri-Folded American Flags to Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Majority Whip Clyburn on Tuesday, July 17th at the Upper Senate Park at 1:00 PM. A rally will be held at 2:00 PM and flags will be delivered at 3:00 PM.

Speaking at the press conference will be Garett Rappenhagen, Adam Kokesh – who recently gained national media attention when the Marines threatened him with discipline for his anti-war advocacy and Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. is the President of the Hip Hop Caucus, an Air Force Officer who is being threatened with discharge from the Air Force Reserve Individual Reserve Program as a 'national security threat' due to his anti-war, climate change and civil rights activism.

Adam Kokesh described how funding the war is killing the troops saying "As a proud combat veteran who believes in a strong US military and national defense, I find the Iraq war most offensive. Resources that could be allocated to a multitude of other projects to enhance our security are instead being diverted into the futile occupation of Iraq . The brave men and women who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution deserve better than to risk their lives in a misadventure that is detrimental to our security, and our Constitution. Further funding of this quagmire will only result in more needless deaths."

Rev. Yearwood put the blame for failure to end the war on the Democratic Party leadership saying "On Nov 7, 2006, America went to the polls to demand an end to the war in Iraq, yet this Democratic Congress continues to fund the occupation. As a board member of Progressive Democrats of America, I can say we did not vote for a Democratic Congress or a Republican Congress, we voted for a Human Congress. Representatives Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn are putting the interests of the Democratic Party before the interests of humanity, and until they use their leadership in Congress to de-fund the war, Iraq Veterans Against the War holds them personally responsible for the deaths of U.S. soldiers." Yearwood is also a board member of VotersForPeace which puts 'peace before partisanship.'

The Tri-Folded Flag Campaign is being spearheaded by Iraq Veterans Against the War but already other anti-war groups are joining in. Among the groups already signed on to the multi-month campaign are Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace, VotersForPeace, Grassroots America, the Hip Hop Caucus and Democracy Rising. The campaign will let the House Democratic leadership know that voters will be holding them responsible for failing to end the war by sending them tri-folded flags between now and the end of September.

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Three returning combat Iraq veterans arrested at Fort Benning - Iraq Veterans Against the War continue to speak - are we listening?

IVAW members were arrested while attempting to enter Ft. Benning to speak with members on the base.



Adam Kokesh, IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War) was arrested after entering Fort Benning to check on fellow members, Liam Madden and Nate Lewis.

All three face a hearing for criminal trespassing - July 27, 2007

These three are returning Iraq veterans:

Sgt Liam Madden, U.S. Marine
Liam served as a Communications Electronics Specialist in the Marine Corps from January 2003 to January 2007. While enlisted he was deployed to Iraq, Kuwait, Thailand, Okinawa, Japan, and Korea. During his last year in the Marines, Sergeant Madden co-founded the Appeal for Redress, a campaign of service members demanding that congress halt the war in Iraq.

Sgt Adam Kokesh, U.S. Marine, Served in: MCRD San Diego, CA Camp Pendleton, CA Fort Sill, OK Camp Fallujah, Iraq Rock ASP, Iraq Fallujah Peninsula, Iraq Fallujah Liaison Team CMOC, Iraq Camp Lejeune, NC
(You can read more about Adam Kokesh at his own blog )

Nathan Lewis, U.S. Army returning Iraq veteran.

All three are returning Iraq veterans with military base privileges and appropriate identifications. For more detail about how military bases view 'protesters' at the gates of military installations, and when those protesters are the troops themselves .....

detail account of this arrest at Veterans for Common Sense;

News Archives

July 1, 2007 - Three Iraq war protesters were arrested Sunday evening after crossing onto Fort Benning property.

Liam Madden and Nate Lewis, both 24, were taken into custody by military police shortly before 6 p.m. for stepping onto federal property, according to post spokeswoman Monica Manganaro. A third unidentified protester was also detained for committing the same infraction approximately 30 minutes after Madden and Lewis were arrested, Manganaro added.

Lewis and Madden, both members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, were charged with criminal trespass. They, along with six other members of the anti-war organization, are currently on a bus tour protesting military bases around the country and speaking to soldiers. The group's tour bus was parked outside the stone gate on Fort Benning Road off Victory Drive, Manganaro said.

Michael Blake, 24, of Iraq Veterans Against the War, said his comrades didn't break the law intentionally. They simply crossed a line that wasn't clearly marked, he said.

"What they were doing is they were going to step up to the guard and ask him if they could come onto base," Blake said. "It was a complete accident."

Manganaro said she didn't know the specifics of the incident, but the law is clear when it comes to protesting on military installations: It's illegal.

"If individuals are protesting outside a military installation and they come onto the installation, they've broken a law."

Manganaro said the protesters were given a verbal warning not to come onto the property.

Blake said Madden and Lewis are both veterans with valid Veterans Affairs cards and should be allowed onto the post. As soon as the protestors crossed the line, Blake said, two military police officers approached them, cuffed them and charged them.

This isn't the first incident of Iraq Veterans Against the War protestors being detained for bringing their message to military installations.

According to the group's Web site, five members were handcuffed Saturday morning at Fort Jackson in South Carolina after attempting to meet a fellow member on base for lunch. They were wearing T-shirts with "Iraq Veterans Against the War" and because of that they were considered protesters, Blake said.

None of the members were arrested that day, but they were removed from the base, Blake said.

In addition to the handful of anti-war Iraq veteran protestors traveling from base-to-base, a small crew of film makers from the Showtime Network is also on hand to document their journey. Blake said their presence, however, had nothing to do with Sunday evening's proceedings.

"We had no plan to go on base unauthorized," Blake said. "We're all pretty upset. We didn't come here to make trouble."

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Santa Moncia, CA - third city of Iraq Veteran's Against the War (IVAW) Operation First Casualty - Seattle next?

First it was Washington DC, in March 2007 on fourth anniversary of Iraq war (photos on this blog). Then it was Manhattan, New York in May 2007 on Memorial Day (video on this blog). And the third city is Santa Monica, California in June 2007 in what looks to be a series of U.S. cities being given a taste of the almost too realistic Operation First Casualty, street theater. Real returning Iraq veterans of the organization IraqVeterans Against the War re-enact how they have done their jobs in Iraq.

Civilians go about their usual activities of the day and register startling surprise as they see soldiers in camouflage pointing with their hands in pantomine of rifles, taking actors prisoner, placing bags over their heads - an occupation being played out, right here in an American city.

Below is another video of Operation First Casualty - Santa Monica, CA; carried out by the Iraq Veterans Against the War. I've been intrigued by the actions of these returning Iraq veterans since they initiated their first 'occupation' of Washington DC in March 2007. As they explain when they carry out these mock, street theater patrols under the premise that 'The first casualty of war is Truth'.

The military has taken notice, read more about Adam Kokesh Hearing. Marines have faulted Adam Kokesh, while the old guard of the VFW has decided to take issue with the military and back Adam Kokesh - wow!

I don't know which city will be next to be treated to a bit of realism of Iraq (beyond the ongoing pro-anti arguments that pass without end or resolve for national dialogue in the media and public discourse) - and I think Seattle or Tacoma or the state capitol of Olympia, home to our U.S. Legislators, would embrace the concept of Operation First Casualty.

As you watch the video and listen to the civilian comments, you can see for yourself how it registers with them in startlement, beyond what the marches, rallies, panels, town halls have seemingly been able to do.

Hooyah Iraq Veterans Against the War - thank you for bringing home and delivering a different kind of message.

Operation First Casualty - Santa Monica, CA

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