“On January 31, 1971, members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) met in a Detroit hotel to discuss war crimes they claimed to have participated in or witnessed during their combat tours in Vietnam. During the next three days, more than 100 Vietnam veterans and 16 civilians gave anguished, emotional testimony describing hundreds of atrocities against innocent civilians in South Vietnam, including rape, arson, torture, murder, and the shelling or napalming of entire villages. The witnesses stated that these acts were being committed casually and routinely, under orders, as a matter of policy.”
“In April 1971, the VVAW stormed Washington in a week-long protest. At its height, spokesman John Kerry went before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to accuse the United States military of committing massive numbers of war crimes in Vietnam. The appearance launched Kerry's political career. The charges he made shocked and sickened a nation, changed the course of a war and stained the reputation of the American military for decades.”
“But the mass murder of civilians was never American policy in Vietnam. War crimes were the exception, not the rule. And the Winter Soldier tribunal itself -- which John Kerry had helped moderate -- turned out to be "packed with pretenders and liars.”
(Those who want more detailed facts about the shameful Vietnam era Winter Soldier movement can read more here at
www.WinterSoldier.com)
They’re Back!
The modern Winter Soldier movement now operates as the
Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Similar to the Vietnam era Winter Soldier anti-war movement, the modern effort uses the alleged testimony of carefully cherry-picked soldiers who claim to have witnessed systemic American atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan to make their ten point case against the war.
The organization lists the following ten primary reasons why they oppose today’s war on terror, specifically taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Iraq war is based on lies and deception.
The Iraq war violates international law.
Corporate profiteering is driving the war in Iraq.
Overwhelming civilian casualties are a daily occurrence in Iraq.
Soldiers have the right to refuse illegal war.
Service members are facing serious health consequences due to our Government's negligence.
The war in Iraq is tearing our families apart.
The Iraq war is robbing us of funding sorely needed here at home.
The war dehumanizes Iraqis and denies them their right to self-determination.
Our military is being exhausted by repeated deployments, involuntary extensions, and activations of the Reserve and National Guard.
The problem with this list is that almost every reason is based upon lies, half-truths or complete propaganda.
Like the Winter Soldier movement of the past, this movement seeks to undermine U.S. sovereignty and security and any means will be justified by that end. As if anyone needs a list of reasons to oppose war, beyond the reason that war always costs lives, some of them innocent, and burns up valuable resources, the anti-war brotherhood pretends to corner the market on anti-war sentiment.
Yet, it should go without saying that nobody in their right mind is “pro-war.”
The REAL Facts as they are evidenced
The Iraq war was based on the best intelligence available, more the 90% of which turned out to be true and accurate.
The Iraq war does not violate any international law. The UN is not the governing law of the United States.
While military contractors sometimes profit during times of war, America has never gone to war for this purpose. To suggest otherwise is an outright insane lie.
Civilian casualties are a reality of war, especially in a war fought by civilian terrorists and guerilla fighters hiding behind civilian women and children.
Soldiers do have a right to refuse to follow command, and command has the right to bring them up on charges. A legal process will determine the ultimate outcome based upon fact, not fiction.
Soldiers always face potential harm in many forms, including environmental health risks. Some members of congress have worked hard to minimize those risks, while other blocked those efforts. One should study which members really “supported the troops” and which members only give lip service.
War is always hard on military families. Only real heroes would accept such a duty. And many Americans work hard to meet the special needs of those families. Few of them are anti-war types.
The Iraq war has not stopped nor in any way impeded the continued over-growth of federal social welfare programs.
Iraqis had NO rights at all before American soldiers liberated their country from the tyranny of the most brutal dictator in modern times. The first open election of self-determination was made possible by American soldiers and their allies.
Our military is being exhausted by repeat deployments as a result of our military having been degraded during the 90’s to the point where in times of great need, we are undermanned. But when our country is under attack and threat of future attack, we go to war with the military we have, not the one we should have had, if it had not been degraded by a previous administration.
Although I simply responded to the ten charges leveled by Iraq Vets Against the War, using my own statements of fact, I assure you, every response is indeed fact which can easily be backed up but indisputable evidence.
The Side of the Story You Won’t Get from the Leftist Press
Meanwhile, eight Iraq war veterans have set their sights on bringing the truth about Iraq and the war on terror to the American voter currently mired in anti-war leftist propaganda, peddled by left-wing Winter Soldier types, their left-wing power-hungry politicians and their alphabet media groups.
Vets for Freedom was established by eight Iraq war veterans who are fed up with the left-wing propaganda aimed at undermining the efforts of our men and women in uniform charged with the task of winning the peace in Iraq and the broader international war on radical Islamic terrorism.
Vets for Freedom state their mission, “It’s essential for the American people to know the facts about what is happening in Iraq. Some media outlets, and certain politicians, still fail to assess the situation objectively; so Vets for Freedom is heading Back to Iraq to let them know what has been accomplished, what still needs to be done, and how we should proceed in order to attain sustainable security in Iraq.”
“Vets for Freedom is sending 8 members back to the very streets they once patrolled in uniform to assess the situation on the ground. These members will be writing for BlackFive.net, Weekly Standard, and National Review Online. Their posts, articles, and videos will also be made available and updated daily on VetsforFreedom.org.”
American voters must use their heads when assessing complex life and death issues like war. While it’s temping to allow emotions to drive opinions, real support for our troops dictates that we allow the facts to drive our opinions instead.
As I see it, these are the key facts as they exist today…
American troops stand in harm’s way in defense of freedom here and abroad
Success is the ONLY option in Iraq and the war on terror
Our troops deserve our FULL support until their missions are completed
Undermining the troops mission IS undermining the troops
America invades and conquers NO nation, but it has liberated many
Those who attack our troops ARE the enemy, no matter what they call themselves
As relates to our troops and their mission in the ongoing war against international terrorism, these are the facts that matter.
As relates to the impact Iraq or the broader war on terror might have on this or any other election cycle, voters must deal in reality of fact, not emotion driven or politically motivated propaganda based rhetoric.
At any given time in history, only 2% of Americans step up and accept the responsibility of securing freedom and peace for the rest. The very least the other 98% can do is offer them the real support and respect they deserve.
Anyone who can’t do this at the very least, can not call themselves patriotic, or even American.
Keep this in mind as you listen to politicians pander to the anti-troop left for votes and political power. Such people can never be allowed power in this country again.
As America goes… So goes the free world. Even those around the world who don’t like it, still know it!
Where America goes depends largely upon the success of the 2% who serve in uniform, not the 545 who serve their own self-interests in Washington DC.
Pray for the safety and success of our troops! Pray that those who can’t or won’t support this idea, be removed far from any form of power!
