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LESSONS OF VIETNAM:IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN
May 23, 2007
What will it take to bring an end to the illegal Iraq war and Occupation?
It is on everyone's mind. Both Americans, and non-Americans, wonder what it will take.
Here are some points I would make:

1] There is talk blah blah blah about "storming Pennsylvania Avenue", "revolution", etc. Sorry my Leftist and non-Leftist friends, that simply ain't gonna happen. Life in these United States has just become too difficult and complicated; most people and their families are struggling for survival, to cope with debt or to keep out of debt, to keep healthy and to keep economically afloat. That is what takes up most people's energies these days. You can see it if you read what they write on Care2 groups. Then there are all these Natural Disasters because of Global Warming; broken Health Care systems and Educational systems; destroyed or decaying Infrastructure; etc. Most people simply are trying to make it thru the next month, or DEPENDING on that NEXT PAYCHECK.
They TALK big, to VENT -- but TALK is all that's happening. They are in no position to Storm the White House -- and possibly lose their JOB for that!
{Not to mention the Police armed with tasers, lasers, heat weapons, and god-knows-what!}
Same with wild plans to boycott, not pay taxes, go on strike, shut things down, etc. Sure, they would WORK -- only if EVERYBODY, or MOST people, did it. Ain't gonna happen. For the same reasons. People have FAMILIES to support; and their lifestyles they think they can't do without.

2] So, then what?
Well, THE ARMY ITSELF SAYS, IT IS STRESSED TO THE BREAKING POINT.
The soldiers, it is said, are LOSING THEIR WILL-TO-FIGHT. THIS is why, it is said, the PENTAGON HAS SHUT OFF ACCESS OF TROOPS TO THE INTERNET; except on a tightly-controlled and censored government channel, that they and their families don't like to use.
The same thing happened in Viet Nam. THE TROOPS WOULD NOT OBEY ORDERS TO "ENGAGE THE ENEMY".
And would often "frag" their officers, instead. Historical FACT.
The mis-Administration has learned NOTHING from the Lessons of Viet Nam!

My focus is, and has always been, to BRING THE TROOPS HOME. That, to me, is the KEY. Not silly talk of this & that "ideal" solution -- day-dreaming!!!

See the on-line film, if you haven't, "Sir! No Sir!".
The Resistance to fighting, resistance to obeying the orders they were given, plus civilian support, was what helped hasten the end of U.S. involvement in Viet Nam. Whether people think this was right or wrong, a Good Thing or a Bad Thing, that is what actually did happen.
Following this LOGIC, I say, we Civilians make LOUD AND CLEAR, PERFECTLY CLEAR TO THE TROOPS, our SUPPORT for them -- SUPPORT FOR THEIR COMING HOME!
That we also show our SUPPORT, for Lt. Ehren Watada, and several others, who have OPENLY RESISTED GOING TO WAR.
I think that there is going to be more and more resistance within the military -- that it will become, or is becoming fast, like Viet Nam.
Examples are, the 343rd Quartermasters {in 2005}, the 10th Mountain Division {earlier this month}. They both refused orders to go into danger zones with INADEQUATE armored protection. Well, I've heard that they aren't the ONLY ones with inadequate protection; and it figures, there must be other units where the word just hasn't gotten out, yet, about them. There was a video I remember seeing, about troops refusing to protect a convoy driven by contractors, not the US Army. Don't know if it was released which unit it was.
Stuff like that, the military is just FRANTIC to censor! Doesn't want the word spreading from troop to troop!

So, then, eliminating all the stuff that WON'T work, that CAN'T POSSIBLY work, this is ALL I can come up with! Like it or not!
Some people strongly disapprove of this -- of troops, in essence, mutinying. {The Pentagon calls it, "Combat Refusal".}
Well, number one, it IS happening, whether someone personally likes it, or approves, or not. Just like the "fragging" of over 800 officers happened, in Viet Nam. {I think that was atrocious. But it DID happen! We can't close our eyes to it! Whether we approve or not!}{I HOPE, the FEW instances of fragging in this war, remain just a FEW!}

Number two, I think, no I KNOW, that it will GIVE TROOPS THE WILL TO RESIST ILLEGAL ORDERS, if they KNOW that the folks at home support them 101% in that!
Illegal orders, for example, ACCORDING TO THE ARMY'S OWN UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE {which I have read}, WOULD INCLUDE PARTICIPATION IN TORTURE, AND IN MURDERING CIVILIANS AND TAKING THEIR PROPERTY.
These are PUNISHABLE OFFENCES and soldiers can be PROSECUTED for them. "I was only following orders" is NOT a defence! A SOLDIER HAS THE OBLIGATION TO NOT FOLLOW ILLEGAL ORDERS.
According to treaties the U.S. has signed, which ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION ARE THE LAW OF THE LAND, and the Geneva Conventions, THE ENTIRE IRAQ WAR IS AN ILLEGAL WAR. This was the DEFENCE that Lt. Watada tried to bring to his trial {postponed}. His defence for not deploying with his company for Iraq.

Therefore, I PERSONALLY STATE, that I am FOR THE SOLDIERS NOT OBEYING THEIR ILLEGAL ORDERS whether BEFORE, or AFTER, deployment to Iraq.

It would have been better, if Lt. Watada's entire COMPANY had refused to go to Iraq; as someone who deserts his or her company, is perceived by many as a traitor. Altho MANY INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS have expressed SUPPORT for Lt. Watada -- and several of my friends are active in his support -- it is when entire UNITS refuse, that THERE CAN BE A REAL TURNAROUND.

THIS IS WHAT DID HAPPEN DURING THE VIET NAM WAR. There was a famous instance, when LIVE ON NATIONAL TV, an entire COMPANY REFUSED to go on patrol into a danger zone! HOW EMBARASSING FOR THE ARMY BRASS -- who had probably ORDERED them to go in the first place, to GRANDSTAND FOR TV!!!!!!! I sortof remember the FUROR that caused at the time! and the lift it gave to the anti-war movement I was then a part of!
This was just one of many instances of Combat Refusal by entire units in Viet Nam.
There was even a group of B-52 Bomber Pilots, who refused for "reasons of conscience" to go on missions to bomb Cambodia; and were prosecuted by the Military.
There were other units about which there is just "hearsay" -- what the troops widely reported when they got home.
There is a book about this, written by a General, deploring this, which I could refer to if asked.

So, anyone asks my opinion, you got it. I think there could and should be a DYNAMIC set up, between the troops, and the extended Peace Movement. In SPITE of military censorship, people, families, WILL find means to communicate!
WE support the troops, and EXPLODE the LIE that they are "Protecting" us, or "protecting" anything but Bush's oil! So they don't feel uncomfortable "sitting down".
THEY support US, {and our Economic Survival!} by not dragging on this war any further!
I think, under such circumstances, the war COULD end on the TROOPS' TIMETABLE; rather than on Bush's NON-EXISTENT "timetable"! Bush keeps EXTENDING AND EXTENDING THE WAR AND THE TROOPS' DEPLOYMENTS; he is simply LYING about any troop pullout, EVER EVER EVER. And the troops should KNOW this, by now!!!
THE TROOPS WILL ONLY COME HOME, AT ALL, EVER, NOT IN BODY BAGS, IF THEY TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.
And to finish, as Patrick Henry said to the Virginia Burgesses {before the American Revolution}: "If this be TREASON, then MAKE THE MOST OF IT."

This is what I truly think, and will stand behind it till I die.
BMutiny T



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Posted: May 23, 2007 8:08pm

 
 
 
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BMutiny TCorporationsEvil
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