From Jose Vasquez, Executive Director of Iraq Veterans Against the War:
Sunday night IVAW learned with the rest of the nation that Osama Bin Laden was killed and his body captured by a team of U.S. Special Forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In light of our resolution condemning the occupation of Afghanistan adopted in 2009, we have followed this important news closely and want to share our perspective with supporters, elected officials, policymakers, the press, and the public at large.
As we enter into the 8th year of war with Iraq and have already passed the 9th year mark with the war with Afghanistan, the costs of these wars are adding up. There is the economic cost, which has reached the trillion dollar mark at an estimated cost of 2.5 to 4.6 trillion dollars [1]. Yet, the human cost to our troops has been skyrocketing as well, and not just those dying in combat but those who have taken their own lives when they returned home.
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) calls on all U.S. military service members to refuse and resist any mobilization against workers organizing to protect their basic rights. IVAW stands in solidarity with the multitude gathered in Madison, Wisconsin and many other cities to defend their unions.
February 12, 2011, Lawrence, KS -- Iraq Veterans delivered a hopeful message to a crowd of art patrons at the Lawrence Percolator Friday night as part of an outreach effort to bring awareness to the deployment of traumatized troops. The show was a call to action, developed by a collaboration between the Just Seeds Cooperative, a Chicago based art group and Iraq Veterans Against the War.
This article about the current organizing effort by GIs and Veterans at Ft. Hood, Texas was written by Siri Margerin, a CivSol member from San Francisco
As the buses roll by, a small cluster of veterans and active duty service members stand outside, passing out information and starting conversations with passersby. These folks are part of a new stage in Iraq Veterans Against the War’s Operation Recovery campaign, and have come to Ft. Hood to do outreach with soldiers on base.
This statement in solidarity with the Egyptian people and soldiers who have refused to supress their protests was written by US veterans and allies, including members of Civilian-Soldier Alliance.
As veterans and friends and families of veterans and active-duty members of the US military, we stand in solidarity with the courageous Egyptian people and the brave members of the Egyptian military who have refused to repress the people, and in some cases, joined them. We stand opposed to the role the US government has played in economically and politically supporting Hosni Mubarak's dictatorship. We oppose the 1.3 billion dollars in annual military aid our government continues to give to security forces in Egypt. We are horrified that during the week-long uprising, our tax dollars have paid for the weapons and training that have killed more than 125 peaceful protesters and injured thousands more.
This article written by CivSol member Austin McCann, tells the story of Kyle Wesolowski, a Buddhist Concientious Objector and anti-war activist at Ft. Hood in Texas.
Specialist Kyle Wesolowski is eagerly awaiting the return on his Conscientious Objector packet, which he submitted last fall after writing three drafts. "The writing process was really rigorous," he explains. But Kyle isn't twiddling his thumbs while his command debates: when he isn't handing out flyers to JROTC recruits or planning demonstrations, he's creating what he calls an "activist veterans' commune" at his house outside Killeen, Texas. Kyle lives with other anti-war activists, and explains: "We have a spare room, and I want a new activist visiting every month, supporting local GI organizing and working on their own projects."
Jeff Hanks had been scheduled to deploy against the wished of his medical team and family, and with Operation Recovery's help, he is now receving treatment on base instead of en route to Afghanistan.
70 people attended a fundraising event for Operation Recovery in Springfield, Illinois on Sunday, Dec. 19, to hear members of Iraq Veterans Against the War speak, as well as enjoy music by local musicians. Participants read poems written by Iraq and Afghan War vets as well.
