Madden, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, responded in an e-mail Tuesday that he will agree to stop wearing his uniform at protests if the Marine Corps puts in writing "that my statements are neither disloyal nor inaccurate."
Madden, speaking on his cell phone from Jacksonville, N.C., where he is participating in a bus tour of East Coast military installations along with other veterans, said he doubts the Marines will agree to the offer.
The above is from AP's "Protesting veteran rejects deal with Marines" and Madden is Liam Madden, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War who the military brass has targeted, along with Cloy Richards and Adam Kokesh, in an attempt to silence him and prevent dissent. Of course, he shouldn't have to be discharged from the IRR, most aren't. The bus tour mentioned is Iraq Veterans Against the War's summer base tour and they were at Camp Lejune in Jacksonville yesterday and other dates on the tour include: Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina on June 28th 7:00 pm; the US Social Forum in Atlanta, GA on June 30th at 7:00 pm; Fort Benning in Columbus, GA on July 1st at 7:00 pm; a fundraiser in Philadelphia on June 3rd at 6:00 pm; a fundraiser in NYC on July 5th at 7:00 pm; the Naval Sub Marine Base in Groton, CT on July 6th at 7:00 pm; and concluding at Fort Drum in NY on July 8th at 4:00 pm.
In other news, the UK Ministry of Defence has announced: "It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the deaths of two soldiers from The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and one soldier from 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales) in Basra, southern Iraq this morning, Thursday 28 June 2007." The deaths bring to 156 the number of British soldiers killed in the illegal war since it started in March 2003.
In Baghdad today, a car bombing has resulted in mass fatalities. John Ward Anderson and Naseer Nouri's "Car Bomb Kills at Least 22 in Iraq, 20 Found Beheaded" (Washington Post) reports 22 dead so far and 40 injured (and those numbers may climb). From the article:
The 8:15 a.m. blast occurred at a large central bus stop in the predominantly Shiite Baya'a neighborhood, where residents from the southeast quadrant of Baghdad catch buses for trips across the capital. It was at least the third time that the site has been targeted by bombings.
Arabia TV showed a huge crater in the street where the car bomb exploded. The Associated Press reported that as many as 40 empty minibuses were incinerated in the blast and subsequent fires.
The attack followed a late-night car bombing on Wednesday that killed at least 14 people near a major Shiite shrine in the Kadhimiya neighborhood in northern Baghdad, police reported.
In addition, they report the discovery of 20 headless corpses in the Tigris River. And Reuters is reporting the death toll from this morning's car blast has already climbed to 25.
In the New York Times this morning, Alissa J. Rubin's "Talks Under Way Over Sunni Official Named in Warrant" reports on the latest regarding the still 'at large' Asad al-Hashimi:
Mr. Hashimi is accused of plotting the 2005 attempt to assassinate another Sunni politician, Mithal al-Alusi, a secular member of Parliament. Although the assassination attempt on Mr. Alusi failed, two of his sons were killed. Iraqi security forces executed a warrant in the case and raided Mr. Hashimi’s home on Tuesday, arresting 42 bodyguards, but he was away. In a statement, the government insisted that it would not interfere in a judicial proceeding, but several people say there have been negotiations between the main Sunni Arab coalition in Parliament and the government.
"The minister is ready to face justice, but we believe that the investigation was weak and it was faked," said Alaa Makki, a Sunni Arab, a senior member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, who is leading the negotiations with the government on behalf of Mr. Hashimi.
"We are negotiating with the prime minister on this matter, and we have three demands to which we would like a response: the release of all his guards, restoration of the minister's good name and a new, independent investigation committee."
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adam kokesh
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iraq veterans against the war
the washington post
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