I am writing concerning the decision to refuse to allow U.S. Iraq war resister Corey Glass to stay in Canada. I am extremely saddened and angry to hear that our government has refused to grant him sanctuary. Did our country not refuse to participate in the Iraq war because we sided with the UN in declaring this to be an illegal and unjust war? Yet by sending Glass back to the U.S., we are basically giving a message to the United States that we agree that Glass and others like him should either have to go back to fighting this unjust and illegal war or be imprisoned for refusing to do so. That is pure hypocrisy on the part of our government. If we want to be consistent in our stance against the Iraq war, we must provide sanctuary for resisters like Glass.
Naomi Berlyne, Toronto
The above is one of three letters to the editor in response to Wednesday's Nick Kyonka's "U.S. Iraq deserter loses bid to stay" (Toronto Star). Let's stay on the topic of war resisters but expand to all who decide to self-checkout for whatever reason.
Ebony Horton helps the military out with a new line of attack on war resisters, "Military desertion prosecutions increase, cost taxpayers millions" (Dothan Eagle) and the only part worth noting from it is the following:
U.S. Navy Lt. Candice Tresch said the Navy’s numbers of declared deserters have steadily declined since fiscal year 2001.
One hundred seventy-seven U.S. Airmen have been placed on deserter status since the start of the Iraq War in 2003, according to Air Force Capt. Michael Andrews. Data showed there were 268 Airmen who were placed on deserter status between 1998 and 2003.
The U.S. Army Judiciary charged between 15 and 36 of at least 2,500 soldiers who deserted each year between 1998 and 2001, according to the Army. The number of deserting soldiers prosecuted climbed to between 79 and 108 of at least 2,400 deserters for each year between 2002 and 2007, according to data.
Tresch should be asked to produce her data. The article defines "desertion" early on as AWOL for more than 30 days. Having defined that as such (it's not always used, Agustin Aguayo was court-martialed for desertion and he turned himself in before 30 days had elapsed) and used it throughout, Horton's constructed a false premise. Someone who knows numbers and knows how to interpret data is Rick Rogers (San Diego Tribune) and, in April, his "Marine couple back after days astray"noted:
For a variety of reasons, at least 640 Marines based in California -- most of them from Camp Pendleton -- have landed in military court since June 2005 because they went AWOL, according to an analysis of Marine dockets by The San Diego Union-Tribune. Those records showed at least 30 AWOL proceedings in the past month.
Such "conduct waivers" for Army recruits rose from 8,129 in fiscal 2006 to 10,258 in fiscal 2007. For Marine Corps recruits, they increased from 16,969 to 17,413.
Creating a false construct for "desertion" (and refusing to question the numbers) allows Tresch to present a false picture. Note that Rogers is covering "Marines based in California" only. Horton should have dropped the false construct and dealt with real numbers. Had that taken place, Tresch wouldn't have been allowed to lie.
No doubt Tresch's next line of attack will be that the wounded and dead service members are also costing tax payers. (The only price tax payers are paying is that of the illegal war.)
From Alexandra Zavis' "Iraq bomb injures 6 Marines" (Los Angeles Times):
Six U.S. Marines were injured and their Iraqi interpreter was killed Friday when a roadside bomb struck their patrol near Fallouja, the military said.
There was at least one other explosion in the city during the day, underscoring fears that Sunni Arab militants loyal to Al Qaeda in Iraq may be attempting to stage a comeback in their former stronghold.
The U.S. military also announced the death of a soldier Thursday in a roadside bombing about 12 miles southwest of Baghdad. At least 4,080 American military personnel have died since U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in March 2003, according to icasualties.org.
Since Zavis filed her story, ICCC's total has increased to 4081.
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Saturday, May 24, 2008
Corey Glass
U.S. Iraq war resister Corey Glass was told on May 21 that his application to stay in Canada has been rejected and he now faces deportation. Glass would be the first Iraq war resister to be deported from Canada.
This is not just an immigration or moral issue -- it is an issue of international law. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the Iraq war illegal, and the war crimes and crimes against humanity that have occurred throughout the war are well-documented.
Canada cannot pretend to support international law while denying sanctuary to those fleeing war crimes and crimes against humanity. If we expect individuals to uphold international law, then it follows that we must support them and provide sanctuary when they believe they are being asked to do something that violates international law.
If we fail to do so, then we lose all right to prosecute individuals for crimes they have committed, and the Nuremberg principles and the International Criminal Court will cease to have relevance.
I am saddened and ashamed by the failure of our current immigration/refugee system and our Supreme Court to understand this, and by their seeming insistence that languishing for years in a military prison is not persecution.
It is time for new legislation in Ottawa that clearly outlines our commitments and responsibilities under international law. Providing sanctuary to those fleeing from acts they believe are unlawful should be addressed as an immediate priority.
Jillian Skeet, Vancouver, B.C.
The above is a letter to the Toronto Star in reference to Wednesday's Nick Kyonka's "U.S. Iraq deserter loses bid to stay" (Toronto Star).
On Wednesday, US war resister and Iraq War veteran Corey Glass was informed that he had until June 12th to leave Canada on his own. If he did not leave, he was informed he would be deported. Since August 2006, Glass has attempted to win asylum. You might think that would be news.
It really wasn't. The same Panhandle Media that always insists you hold Real Media accountable doesn't have any sense of accountability or responsibilty. Amy Goodman is but one who's thrilled to finger point at what the New York Times gets wrong or ignores but this would be the same Goody who devoted (FOR THE HOUR!) Thursday's show to a book and Friday's show to a feature film. She didn't do a segment on Corey Glass, she didn't even include him in the headlines. Panhandle Media preaches accountability but they have no accountability or standards for themselves.
They're really good at hurling negative criticism at Real Media but they have no time to respond to their own failures. They're not interested in that at all. And if the week demonstrated anything it was to show how worthless Panhandle Media is, day after damn day.
Corey Glass is news. But Panhandle Media (apparently having exhausted and rubbed themselves raw over Barack) couldn't make time for it. Goody needed to do hour long 'features' and, you'll note, in both hours, she made plenty of time to critize Real Media. All the while she was ingoring news that mattered, not even willing to include it in a headline.
It's past time for accountability in Panhandle Media. It's past time that some of our alleged media critics started examing the hype versus the reality. Until there's some accountability, get ready for the Iraq War to last 20 years. And be prepared for war resisters to be ignored throughout.
And we'll close with John Catalinotto's "GIs, vet resisters take lead in anti-war actions" (Workers World) who has never shied from covering war resisters:
Veterans groups and individual GI resisters and their supporters have taken the lead in the U.S. anti-war movement. In mid-May there were multiple reports of war refusals and one mass protest at a major military training base for troops headed for Iraq and Afghanistan.
Near Fort Drum in upstate New York, the Watertown-based Different Drummer Café joined with the Iraq Veterans Against the War and peace activists who had marched from the upstate cities of Rochester, Ithaca and Utica to hold a festival on May 17, Armed Forces Day.
Drummer organizer Tod Ensign told Workers World that as the official Armed Forces Day Parade ended outside the Dulles Federal Building, Col. Kenneth Riddle, Fort Drum's garrison commander, found himself surrounded by IVAW members in their black T-shirts.
When asked about the failure of the command to address Iraq veterans’ problems with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all Col. Riddle could say was, "I just got here two weeks ago." Though the vets requested a meeting, Riddle begged it off.
The festival, scheduled for a campsite and including five popular musical performances, moved inside to the Different Drummer when rain started. One observer described the scene: "Veterans and anti-warriors from at least four U.S. wars mingled happily together. The Drummer was bursting at the seams, as festival participants spilled on to the mall walkway outside while over 50 danced and celebrated inside."
An African-American veteran read a poem dedicated to his wife, a soldier who has been called up for a second tour of duty in Iraq. She was in the audience holding their 7-month-old son. The couple received a tremendous outpouring of sympathy, including assurances of legal, moral and practical support, whatever choice they make.
Ensign noted the atmosphere of mutual understanding between the upstate peace movement and the soldiers just now beginning to question the war. Another good point was the marchers' reception in a traditionally conservative area--a local American Legion chapter hosted the marchers for dinner and let them stay in their hall for the night. Plus the marchers got relatively good publicity in both local upstate press and in the New York Times. (May 15)
Ensign told how Gen. Michael Oates, commander of Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division, had released a conciliatory statement during the week that he "welcomed" the peace marchers, saw "no problem" with their demonstrating on base if they didn't block traffic, and said active-duty GIs could join in if they didn't wear uniforms.
Support for resisters
Other signs of the disenchantment with the wars were the growing number of war resisters.
One is Army PFC Ryan Jackson, who was formally charged with multiple counts of being absent without leave, stemming from his attempt to be released from the Army prior to Iraq deployment. His special court martial--with a maximum one-year prison sentence--on these charges is set for May 30 at Fort Gordon, Ga.
"Since I joined up with Courage to Resist and Iraq Veterans Against the War, my life has changed. I plan to write a book about all of this, and to make positive change in my community when I get out," said Jackson before turning himself in at Fort Sill, Okla., on April 4.
Dianne Mathiowetz, the Atlanta coordinator for the International Action Center, told WW, "Support for Ryan Jackson is building with activists in the Augusta area near Fort Gordon. Also, the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition and the IAC are mobilizing to attend the vigil the night of May 29 and the court martial. All members of the military who refuse to participate in this illegal war of occupation deserve our full support."
IVAW member Matthis Chiroux announced on May 15 in Washington, D.C., his refusal to report to active duty. Sgt. Chiroux, who is originally from Auburn, Ala., has done tours in Germany, Afghanistan and the Philippines since his June 2002 enlistment.
"As an Army journalist whose job it was to collect and filter service members' stories," Chiroux said, "I heard many stomach-churning testimonies of the horrors and crimes taking place in Iraq. For fear of retaliation from the military, I failed to report these crimes, but never again will I allow fear to silence me. Never again will I fail to stand."
Chiroux announced his courageous decision in the Cannon House Office Building rotunda, after fellow IVAW members testified before the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
During a court martial May 13 at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, U.S. Army conscientious objector Robert Weiss was sentenced to seven months confinement. Weiss pled guilty to charges of desertion and missing movement. Weiss had learned in December 2007 that his conscientious objector application was denied.
Bryan Currie says he joined the Army in November 2004 because "I thought it would be a good thing to fight for my country." He was trained as an Infantry Grenadier and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 for 11 months. He describes what he experienced when he got injured:
"We were on a convoy to pick up another soldier. I was the driver. On the way back my truck got hit by a land mine. ... I got burned, I lost four teeth, broke my jaw, got shrapnel on my hands, I was jolted forward so my knees are all swollen and my back’s always sore." He was treated in Afghanistan, was out of combat for three weeks and then was sent back to drive trucks.
When he returned to the U.S., he saw several military psychiatrists who treated him for PTSD. “They’d give you a bag of pills and they’d say, 'Here, try these and if that one doesn't work try another and if you find one that does, stick to it.'" Ordered to redeploy despite his injuries, Currie packed his bags and left. He is currently AWOL and says he is now "100 percent against the military. I've done a complete U-turn."
For more information on aiding resisters, see couragetoresist.org, ivaw.org and differentdrummercafe.org.
E-mail: jcat@workers.org
Articles copyright 1995-2008 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
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iraq
corey glass
nick kyonka
john catalinotto
This is not just an immigration or moral issue -- it is an issue of international law. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the Iraq war illegal, and the war crimes and crimes against humanity that have occurred throughout the war are well-documented.
Canada cannot pretend to support international law while denying sanctuary to those fleeing war crimes and crimes against humanity. If we expect individuals to uphold international law, then it follows that we must support them and provide sanctuary when they believe they are being asked to do something that violates international law.
If we fail to do so, then we lose all right to prosecute individuals for crimes they have committed, and the Nuremberg principles and the International Criminal Court will cease to have relevance.
I am saddened and ashamed by the failure of our current immigration/refugee system and our Supreme Court to understand this, and by their seeming insistence that languishing for years in a military prison is not persecution.
It is time for new legislation in Ottawa that clearly outlines our commitments and responsibilities under international law. Providing sanctuary to those fleeing from acts they believe are unlawful should be addressed as an immediate priority.
Jillian Skeet, Vancouver, B.C.
The above is a letter to the Toronto Star in reference to Wednesday's Nick Kyonka's "U.S. Iraq deserter loses bid to stay" (Toronto Star).
On Wednesday, US war resister and Iraq War veteran Corey Glass was informed that he had until June 12th to leave Canada on his own. If he did not leave, he was informed he would be deported. Since August 2006, Glass has attempted to win asylum. You might think that would be news.
It really wasn't. The same Panhandle Media that always insists you hold Real Media accountable doesn't have any sense of accountability or responsibilty. Amy Goodman is but one who's thrilled to finger point at what the New York Times gets wrong or ignores but this would be the same Goody who devoted (FOR THE HOUR!) Thursday's show to a book and Friday's show to a feature film. She didn't do a segment on Corey Glass, she didn't even include him in the headlines. Panhandle Media preaches accountability but they have no accountability or standards for themselves.
They're really good at hurling negative criticism at Real Media but they have no time to respond to their own failures. They're not interested in that at all. And if the week demonstrated anything it was to show how worthless Panhandle Media is, day after damn day.
Corey Glass is news. But Panhandle Media (apparently having exhausted and rubbed themselves raw over Barack) couldn't make time for it. Goody needed to do hour long 'features' and, you'll note, in both hours, she made plenty of time to critize Real Media. All the while she was ingoring news that mattered, not even willing to include it in a headline.
It's past time for accountability in Panhandle Media. It's past time that some of our alleged media critics started examing the hype versus the reality. Until there's some accountability, get ready for the Iraq War to last 20 years. And be prepared for war resisters to be ignored throughout.
And we'll close with John Catalinotto's "GIs, vet resisters take lead in anti-war actions" (Workers World) who has never shied from covering war resisters:
Veterans groups and individual GI resisters and their supporters have taken the lead in the U.S. anti-war movement. In mid-May there were multiple reports of war refusals and one mass protest at a major military training base for troops headed for Iraq and Afghanistan.
Near Fort Drum in upstate New York, the Watertown-based Different Drummer Café joined with the Iraq Veterans Against the War and peace activists who had marched from the upstate cities of Rochester, Ithaca and Utica to hold a festival on May 17, Armed Forces Day.
Drummer organizer Tod Ensign told Workers World that as the official Armed Forces Day Parade ended outside the Dulles Federal Building, Col. Kenneth Riddle, Fort Drum's garrison commander, found himself surrounded by IVAW members in their black T-shirts.
When asked about the failure of the command to address Iraq veterans’ problems with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all Col. Riddle could say was, "I just got here two weeks ago." Though the vets requested a meeting, Riddle begged it off.
The festival, scheduled for a campsite and including five popular musical performances, moved inside to the Different Drummer when rain started. One observer described the scene: "Veterans and anti-warriors from at least four U.S. wars mingled happily together. The Drummer was bursting at the seams, as festival participants spilled on to the mall walkway outside while over 50 danced and celebrated inside."
An African-American veteran read a poem dedicated to his wife, a soldier who has been called up for a second tour of duty in Iraq. She was in the audience holding their 7-month-old son. The couple received a tremendous outpouring of sympathy, including assurances of legal, moral and practical support, whatever choice they make.
Ensign noted the atmosphere of mutual understanding between the upstate peace movement and the soldiers just now beginning to question the war. Another good point was the marchers' reception in a traditionally conservative area--a local American Legion chapter hosted the marchers for dinner and let them stay in their hall for the night. Plus the marchers got relatively good publicity in both local upstate press and in the New York Times. (May 15)
Ensign told how Gen. Michael Oates, commander of Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division, had released a conciliatory statement during the week that he "welcomed" the peace marchers, saw "no problem" with their demonstrating on base if they didn't block traffic, and said active-duty GIs could join in if they didn't wear uniforms.
Support for resisters
Other signs of the disenchantment with the wars were the growing number of war resisters.
One is Army PFC Ryan Jackson, who was formally charged with multiple counts of being absent without leave, stemming from his attempt to be released from the Army prior to Iraq deployment. His special court martial--with a maximum one-year prison sentence--on these charges is set for May 30 at Fort Gordon, Ga.
"Since I joined up with Courage to Resist and Iraq Veterans Against the War, my life has changed. I plan to write a book about all of this, and to make positive change in my community when I get out," said Jackson before turning himself in at Fort Sill, Okla., on April 4.
Dianne Mathiowetz, the Atlanta coordinator for the International Action Center, told WW, "Support for Ryan Jackson is building with activists in the Augusta area near Fort Gordon. Also, the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition and the IAC are mobilizing to attend the vigil the night of May 29 and the court martial. All members of the military who refuse to participate in this illegal war of occupation deserve our full support."
IVAW member Matthis Chiroux announced on May 15 in Washington, D.C., his refusal to report to active duty. Sgt. Chiroux, who is originally from Auburn, Ala., has done tours in Germany, Afghanistan and the Philippines since his June 2002 enlistment.
"As an Army journalist whose job it was to collect and filter service members' stories," Chiroux said, "I heard many stomach-churning testimonies of the horrors and crimes taking place in Iraq. For fear of retaliation from the military, I failed to report these crimes, but never again will I allow fear to silence me. Never again will I fail to stand."
Chiroux announced his courageous decision in the Cannon House Office Building rotunda, after fellow IVAW members testified before the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
During a court martial May 13 at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany, U.S. Army conscientious objector Robert Weiss was sentenced to seven months confinement. Weiss pled guilty to charges of desertion and missing movement. Weiss had learned in December 2007 that his conscientious objector application was denied.
Bryan Currie says he joined the Army in November 2004 because "I thought it would be a good thing to fight for my country." He was trained as an Infantry Grenadier and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 for 11 months. He describes what he experienced when he got injured:
"We were on a convoy to pick up another soldier. I was the driver. On the way back my truck got hit by a land mine. ... I got burned, I lost four teeth, broke my jaw, got shrapnel on my hands, I was jolted forward so my knees are all swollen and my back’s always sore." He was treated in Afghanistan, was out of combat for three weeks and then was sent back to drive trucks.
When he returned to the U.S., he saw several military psychiatrists who treated him for PTSD. “They’d give you a bag of pills and they’d say, 'Here, try these and if that one doesn't work try another and if you find one that does, stick to it.'" Ordered to redeploy despite his injuries, Currie packed his bags and left. He is currently AWOL and says he is now "100 percent against the military. I've done a complete U-turn."
For more information on aiding resisters, see couragetoresist.org, ivaw.org and differentdrummercafe.org.
E-mail: jcat@workers.org
Articles copyright 1995-2008 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
Subscribe wwnews-subscribe@workersworld.net
Support independent news http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
corey glass
nick kyonka
john catalinotto
Friday, May 23, 2008
Iraq snapshot
Friday, May 23, 2008. Chaos and violence continue, the US military announces a death, Bully Boy rises to his level (latrines) and more.
Starting with war resistance. On Wednesday, US war resister and Iraq War veteran Corey Glass was informed by the Canadian government that he had until June 12th to leave the country or he would be deported. While a large chunck of the left and 'left' play dumb, stupid silent (including Amy Goodman who still hasn't informed her audiences of the decision), "digitaljournal.com" ("The Power of Citizen Journalism") notes Glass by repeating the lies the left and "left" have allowed to take hold: "Military service today is voluntary, not compulsory. There is no draft. Men and women in uniform today are they because they have enlisted or been commissioned of their own accord, not because they have been called into service by the draft board."
Canada didn't base the decision on there being a draft. The US involvement in Vietnam was illegal, it was a slaughter. Their decision wasn't about the draft. This is so remedial but apparently still needed. There were "draft dodgers" and "deserters." The former was a male who had been called out but did not report for induction. The latter was someone who was part of the military and decided to leave. They were both welcomed in Canada. Had "draft dodgers" been the only ones welcomed (legally) then digitaljournal.com would have a point. But that's not reality. "Deserters," members of the military who checked out, were welcomed into Canada. There was no question about, "Wait, you were drafted, right? You didn't enlist on your own, did you?" There was no, "Oh, wait! You chose to enlist. Sorry, no safe haven for you." The safe haven was not dependent on the draft during Vietnam. That is a lie.
We apparently need to again review. From the April 1st snapshot, (no quotes, we're just going to run it together) . . . During Vietnam, American males could go to Canada and seek asylum. There were two categories "draft dodgers" -- which everyone seems to remember -- and "deserters." A "draft doger" (also known as a "draft resister") was someone who had been called up. A "deserter" was someone already in the service. Canada's asylum then was not conditional upon someone being drafted. Those who were in the military and elected to resist were waived on through the border and welcomed the same way. There was no additional burden placed on them. They were not required, for instance, to prove that, yes, they were in the service, but they had been drafted into it. A male who chose to enlist and then began resisting after he was serving could go to Canada and be granted asylum. Pot apparently smoked the brains of not only our left 'leaders' of that period -- a pot haze is the only thing to explain the repeating of the lies of the draft -- but the Canadian education system failed to educate their citizenry on recent history because an editorial board that wants to argue -- as one did last week and all the right-wing Canadian cites have re-posted it -- that Canada should say "no" to today's war resisters because there was a draft during Vietnam and Canada only took in "draft dodgers" is merely flaunting how ignorant everyone serving on the editorial board is.
Had Canada put in a place a qualifier that said, "We will take war resisters but only those who have seen duty in Vietnam," Canada still would have been swarmed with some of the same war resisters. "Draft dodger" (or "draft resister") or "deserter," both cateogries were welcomed in Canada during Vietnam. That is reality and I'm sorry that the Canadian education system is so poor today. In terms of the US, honestly the same male 'leaders' of the left tripping out on tales of the draft today hurt the movement in many ways back then as well. They'll probably continue to do so when they are in their graves.
Then US president Gerald Ford pardoned Tricky Dick of crimes against the US citizenry, crimes against the US government, crimes against humanity and a great deal more. With the war resisters, he set conditions. Apparently he didn't think Tricky Dick's fat ass could make it through an obstacle course so he just waived Nixon on through. Ford granted war resisters an amnesty . . . . provided they went through a long process and met this criteria and that critieria and then, in the end, were judged to be worthy of the pardon. Having just pardoned the War Criminal Nixon, it was outrageous. Hearing an idiot, post-Ford's death, go on Democracy Now! and brag about Ford's program only explained to you just how much "establishment" is also in the left. In Canada (and I was visiting Canada when that program was announced) there was huge outrage and outcry -- from Canadians as well as US war resisters. Those who resisted the slaughter in Inochina were being asked to leep through hoop after hoop with no guarantee that if they made it through all the hoops they might be pardoned. Much speculation at the time was that it was a trap/trick to get US war resisters back in the United States where they would be tossed in prison. But Ford's program offered the obstacle course to both.
Jimmy Carter followed the Ford presidency. Carter didn't offer anything to deserters. Carter did offer draft resisters a limited asylum.In recent years, a number of war resisters from that era have been arrested while visiting the US. So there's really no excuse for people who lived through that time period to not know the difference. The only excuse is to provide cover for a peace movement that continues to struggle and to provide an excuse for your own inaction. (And to brag about days forty years ago which, let's face it, is all some left 'leaders' have to offer today having willingly been co-opted long ago.) Not grasping the difference, not speaking of that difference between reality then and 'reality' remembered now is hurting US war resisters and someone please throw a pie in the face of the next Baby Boom left male 'leader' who wants to gas bag about the hardships he endured due to the 'draft' that never found him called out because he knew how to game the system. It's the equivalent of fishing tales only damaging and it needs to stop. If you can't pie them, stop the males with, "When did you serve in Vietnam?" And when they stutter that they didn't, ask them how they got it. When they start to offer the tale of that 'invasive' physical, stop them and repeat, "I asked how you were able to avoid serving since you didn't go to Canada and you didn't go to Vietnam?" If one claims "I went underground" ask him, "From the time you turned 18 until Vietnam was over?" Because, no, the bulk of the 'leaders' jaw boning today did not go 'underground' and when a few did, it had nothing to do with the illegal war but everything to do with being kicked to the curb by the peace movement. But that's the story they never want to tell.
That's the April 1st snapshot. We have gone over and over this: May 20, 2007, September 9, 2007, March 26, 2008, we could go on and on. David Postman (Seattle Times) outlined what Gerald Ford offered to war resisters: "a limited clemency for Vietnam draft resisters and military deserters." Here's Gerald Ford speaking in September of 1974 (and link has text and audio):
In my first week as President, I asked the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense to report to me, after consultation with other Governmental officials and private citizens concerned, on the status of those young Americans who have been convicted, charged, investigated, or are still being sought as draft evaders or military deserters.
On August 19, at the national convention of Veterans of Foreign Wars in the city of Chicago, I announced my intention to give these young people a chance to earn their return to the mainstream of American society so that they can, if they choose, contribute, even though belatedly, to the building and the betterment of our country and the world.
Get it? A lot of people don't. And some of them are 'helpful' 'friends'. This history hasn't just been lost, it's been distorted in outlets such as Democracy Now! where a 'friend' spoke of Carter and Ford's programs -- allegedly -- but was speaking of Ford's unknowingly. Jimmy Carter? Here's how PBS's The NewsHour (then The MacNeil/Lehrer Report) reported Carter's program on January 21, 1977 (link has text, audio and video):
Just a day after Jimmy Carter's inaguration, he followed through on a contentious campaign promise, granting a presidential pardon to those who had avoided the draft during the Vietnam war by either not registering or traveling abroad. The pardon meant the government was giving up forever the right to prosecute what the administration said were hundreds of thousands of draft-dodgers. . . . Meanwhile, many in amnest groups say that Carter's pardon did too little. They pointed out that the president did not include deserters -- those who served in the war and left before their tour was completed -- or soliders who received a less-than-honorable discharge. Civilian protesters, selective service employees and those who initiated any act of violence also were not covered in the pardon.
Then US House Rep Elizabeth Holtzman was among the four guests (and, in the seventies, with demands being made, there were two women and two men brought on for the report) and stated, "I'm pleased that the pardon was issued, I'm pleased that it was done on the first day and I'm pleased that President Carter kept a commitment that he made very clear to the American people. I would have liked to have seen it broader, I would like to have seen it extended to some of the people who are clearly not covered and whose families will continue to be separated from them . . . but I don't think President Carter has closed the door on this category of people." It's really clear. It hasn't been due to the fact that 'helpers' have continually gotten the facts wrong and we used to let that slide and think, "Oh, they mispoke. They'll correct themselves." But they never did. After March 2006 when a 'helper' got it so wrong, we started calling this crap out. You don't know your history, you need to stop speaking long enough to learn it. Obviously, you baked your mind with drugs.
Hope it was fun. But today's war resisters don't have to suffer because you repeatedly insist that "draft dodgers" went to Canada and they were the category provided safe harbor and it was just because there was a draft in the US. There is no draft today (and that's a good thing), you're nostalgia is not only distorting reality, it's damaging the chances of today's war resisters in Canada. Get your act together or get off the stage. Going on stage Saturday will be three war resisters who will speak as part of a presentation (including a film) from seven to nine p.m. at the First United Church, 435 21st St. W. in Owen Sound Canada for an event sponsored by the Grey Bruce Coalition for Peace and Justice and the Grey Bruce Presbytery Peace and Justice Committee.
War resisters in Canada need support as they wait to see if the motion for safe harbor is going to come to the Parliament floor. You can utilize the following e-mails to show your support: Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca -- that's pm at gc.ca) who is with the Conservative party and these two Liberals, Stephane Dion (Dion.S@parl.gc.ca -- that's Dion.S at parl.gc.ca) who is the leader of the Liberal Party and Maurizio Bevilacqua (Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca -- that's Bevilacqua.M at parl.gc.ca) who is the Liberal Party's Critic for Citizenship and Immigration. In addition Jack Layton, NDP leader, has a contact form and they would like to hear from people as well. A few more addresses can be found here at War Resisters Support Campaign. For those in the US, Courage to Resist has an online form that's very easy to use. Lahey quotes NDP's Oliva Chow, who steered the motion, explaining, "If (Liberal leader) Stephane Dion were to say tomorrow that he supports this motion . . . we will then debate it. So we need people to call Mr. Dion . . . 'whose side you on Mr. Dion'?" The number to call is (613) 996-5789.
There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Matthis Chiroux, Richard Droste, Michael Barnes, Matt Mishler, Josh Randall, Robby Keller, Justiniano Rodrigues, Chuck Wiley, James Stepp, Rodney Watson, Michael Espinal, Matthew Lowell, Derek Hess, Diedra Cobb, Brad McCall, Justin Cliburn, Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Peter Brown, Bethany "Skylar" James, Zamesha Dominique, Chrisopther Scott Magaoay, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Jose Vasquez, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Clara Gomez, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Agustin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Abdullah Webster, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder, Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Stephen Funk, Blake LeMoine, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Logan Laituri, Jason Marek, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Dale Bartell, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Kjar, Kyle Huwer, Wilfredo Torres, Michael Sudbury, Ghanim Khalil, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, at least fifty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. In addition, VETWOW is an organization that assists those suffering from MST (Military Sexual Trauma).
Turning to Iraq, the Asia Times explains, "More than a million civilians have been disabled by the war in Iraq, and represent the most marginalised sector of society. They psychological traumas they bear create serious imbalances inside their families, and the central government is not paying attention." Voice of Iraq notes:
According to a study conducted by the International Disabled Persons' Organization (IDPO), in cooperation with the Iraqi ministries of labor and social affair, and health, there are over 1 million disabled persons, whose disability varies from mild to profound, in a country whose population is nearly 27 million.
There are an estimated 43,600 war disabled persons, including 5,600 who suffer from total disability, 100,000 amputees and over 100,000 blind persons, in addition to 205,000 who are threatened to lose their sight.
Abdul Ghaffar Saadi, the director of the mental disability department in the Labor Ministry, said that the mass media only focuses on the number of dead and wounded in the violence, but does not tackle the psychological or social effects on the victims and their families.
Turning to some of today's reported violence . . .
Bombings?
Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reports a Falluja car bombing (police were attempting to defuse the bomb) that resulted in two police officers being wounded a Salahuddin Province roadside bombing that claimed the life of 1 person and left three more wounded.
Shootings?
Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reports an attack on 2 Iraqi troops in Salahuddin Province.
Corpses?
Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reports 2 corpses discovered in Baghdad.
Today the US military announced: "A Multi-National Division - Center Soldier was killed in an improvised explosive device attack 12 miles southwest of Baghdad, May 22." Sahar Issa(McClatchy Newspapers) notes: "A roadside bomb targeted a joint foot patrol in Bustan Albu Areim area, west Fallujah. The explosion killed 2 American soldiers, injured 1 in addition to killing 2 Iraqi army servicemen, said Fallujah Police. US military said, ' A Marine patrol was attacked just northwest of Fallujah by an IED at9:25 this morning. The attack occurred while conducting a dismounted patrol. One interpreter was killed, and there were six Marines wounded. All casualties have been evacuated and are under medical care'."
Reviewing one new topic and two topics noted in yesterday's snapshot. Zachary Coile (San Francisco Chronicle) notes the 165 billion dollar war supplemental that the US Senate approved yesterday and that, on the veterans measure of college tuition, "New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said the country should honor its soldiers' service by paying their full tuition at a public university when they return home. 'This is not a half-measure or an empty gesture,' she said. 'This is a full and fair benefit to serve the men and women who serve us'." MTV News notes: "Things got exciting (um, by Congressional standards) in the Senate this morning [Thursday] as a bunch of Republicans switched their votes to YES at the last minute. Sen. Jim Webb's plan to increase the amount of money veterans get to go to school passed 75-22 as part of next year's funding package for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That wide margin of victory is good news, since President Bush has promised to veto the entire thing. We're not sure if you all remember how a bill becomes a law (hello, Saturday morning!), but that's a large enough majority for the Senate to override that veto." The always inept Barack attempted to grandstand and overplayed his hand in his attacks on John McCain (who was on the campaign trail and didn't vote). Jake Tapper (ABC News) reports that McCain issued a statement declaring McCain "will not accpet from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regards for those who did. It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of." Barack shot back that McCain was making a personal attack and seems to expect (as has happened repeatedly this campaign season) that he can trash anyone and if they fire back he can clutch the pearls. Those days are over, Bambi. Barack attacked McCain's commitment to veterans. That was a personal attack. His groupies may play otherwise but it was a personal attack and Barack's done this throughout his destructive campaign. McCain is correct on this. Maria Gavrilovic (CBS News) noted yesterday that "Barack Obama used the Senate floor today to jab at his rival" and that Barack has used the same thing to "jab at John McCain" in Michigan. It is a personal attack. Guess what, it's also politics, normal every day politics. But Barack launched it and wants to pretend he doesn't play politics. That's all he ever does. (That is not a defense of McCain's presumed "no" vote -- he wasn't in the Senate, he didn't vote. My own opinion of all refusing to support the veterans funding is that they're being cheap and it's shameful. There's no need to bring McCain's service into it or try to distort it or insult it. But some Dems are determined to relive 2004 with a flip and see this as payback for John Kerry's record being attacked.) Jennifer Duck (ABC News) notes Bully Boy went to Fort Bragg yesterday and asserted, "The vision for success in Iraq that I just outlined will not come easily. There will be tough fighting ahead. But the progress is undeniable." If it sounds familiar, check out every State of the Union address Bully Boy's given since Jan. 2004. James Gerstenzang (Los Angeles Times) notes, "Bush said that since he increased the troop level from 138,000 to approximately 160,000 last year, Iraq's economy had taken 'tremendous strides,' with inflation dropping, the economy growing, and investments in energy and communications increasing." Peter Maer (CBS) notes the only difference that took place yesterday: "It was a first in my more than 22 years on the White House beat: coverage of a presidential latrine inspection. It happened yesterday at Fort Bragg, N.C., where President Bush checked out military 'facilities' at the home of the famed 82nd Airborne Division." Latrine inspection? At last a job the Bully Boy may be up for. On corruption, Dana Hedgpeth (Washington Post) reports that the IG for the DoD admits that "$15 billion worth of goods and services ranging from trucks, bottled water and mattresses to rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns that were bought from contractors in the Iraq reconstruction effort" cannot be accounted for. James Glanz (New York Times) observes:
The Pentagon report, titled "Internal Controls Over Payments Made in Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt," also notes that auditors were unable to find a comprehensible set of records to explain $134.8 million in payments by the American military to its allies in the Iraq war.
The mysterious payments, whose amounts had not been publicly disclosed, included $68.2 million to the United Kingdom, $45.3 million to Poland and $21.3 million to South Korea. Despite repeated requests, Pentagon auditors said they were unable to determine why the payments were made.
[. . .]
According to the report, the Army made 183,486 "commercial and miscellaneous payments" from April 2001 to June 2006 from field offices in Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt, for a total of $10.7 billion in taxpayer money. The auditors focused on $8.2 billion in so-called commercial payments to contractors -- American, Iraqi and probably other foreign nationals -- although the report does not give details on the roster of companies.
The mysterious payments, whose amounts had not been publicly disclosed, included $68.2 million to the United Kingdom, $45.3 million to Poland and $21.3 million to South Korea. Despite repeated requests, Pentagon auditors said they were unable to determine why the payments were made.
[. . .]
According to the report, the Army made 183,486 "commercial and miscellaneous payments" from April 2001 to June 2006 from field offices in Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt, for a total of $10.7 billion in taxpayer money. The auditors focused on $8.2 billion in so-called commercial payments to contractors -- American, Iraqi and probably other foreign nationals -- although the report does not give details on the roster of companies.
Turning to the race for president. Ralph Nader is running as an independent candidate, Matt Gonzalez is Nader's running mate. Outside the White House at noon today, Ralph Nader called for president of vice Dick Cheney and the Bully Boy of the United States to resign. Yunji de Nies (ABC News) quotes Nader saying the Bully Boy "dishonored the White House and brought a pattern of waste. A wasteful defense is a weak defense and a weak defense inspires waste." Nader is currently fighting for ballot access. Joe Sobczyk and Jonathan Salant (Bloomberg News) report: "Before Ralph Nader can win a single ballot this fall, he must first get his name on the ballot -- and that, an aide says, is a 'total nightmare.''
Nader, 74, making his third presidential bid, must gather more than 1 million signatures nationwide to run in all 50 states. It's an issue that confronts minor-party and independent candidates every four years: how to navigate, often on a shoestring budget, the patchwork of state ballot requirements. The signature drive will probably cost $2 million, of which Nader has raised 'more than a third,'' said Jason Kafoury, who is coordinating the effort. They have about 100 people working full time on the job. The goal is to get on the ballot in at least 45 states and Washington, D.C. That would be an improvement from 2004, when Nader was on 35 ballots." At The New Republic, Jonathan Chait (no link to trash) refers to the "noxious presence of Ralph Nader." Remember, every vote for Nader means 'little devils' like Chait get a pitchfork up the juxy and democracy lives for another day. CSPAN played Nader's call live this afternoon and Team Nader notes they will re-play at 6:40 EST on Friday.
Turning to the Democratic race for president. It is a tie. No one will be awarded enough delegates (from states and primaries) to be declared (or worse, to declare themselves) the winner. By rules and guidelines, the fight goes to the DNC floor. But the media lies. And they lie some more. Hillary's ahead in the popular vote. So they lie and they lie some more.
Let's deal with one of the 'kinder' lies. CBS News online features a conversation with Doug Schoen who is smart but dead wrong on one aspect, not calling out nonsense. CBS News tells him, "A lot of Obama partisans have argued that his weaknesses are exaggerated right now in the heat of a primary battle. They say that in this environment in which 80 percent of the public thinks we're on the wrong track, Bush has the highest disapproval of any President in modern history, that this is a Democratic year and Obama will do fine." Bully Boy is not running for a third term. That's the sort of weak-ass nonsense the Barack campaign offers daily. Give it up, it's not going to work. But let's deal with their "80 percent of the public thinks we're on the wrong track!" so any Dem will win. Today is March 23, 2008. Via CBS News, travel back with us to May 24, 2004. John Kerry was the nominee (due to everyone else dropping out after Kerry won the needed number of delegates from primaries and caucuses). And Bully Boy was in the White House. How many Americans thought the country was on the "wrong track"? 65%. 65% and Kerry couldn't pull out a win. In four years 15% more Americans think it's the wrong track and The Cult of Obama would have you believe (a) that is significant in terms of November and (b) that's astounding! It's neither. A lousy candidate can't close the deal with the public. [Bully Boy had a 41% approval rating then. Polls taken this month put him at a low of 28% with a high of 33% on approval. That's not a huge shift either. But, again, Bully Boy is not John McCain. It's interesting that the Barack campaign keeps screaming they are being "smeared by association" when their entire McCain counter-strategy appears to smear McCain by association.]
Andrew Stephen (New Statesman) documents some of the sexism the media used to attack Hillary with and how they felt good about themselves for lying and distorting:
The pincer movement, in fact, could have come straight from a textbook on how to wreck a woman's presi dential election campaign: smear her whole persona first, and then link her with her angry, red-faced husband. The public Obama, characteristically, pronounced himself "unhappy" with the vilification carried out so methodically by his staff, but it worked like magic: Hillary Clinton's approval ratings among African Americans plummeted from above 80 per cent to barely 7 per cent in a matter of days, and have hovered there since.
I suspect that, as a result, she will never be able entirely to shake off the "racist" tag. "African-American super-delegates [who are supporting Clinton] are being targeted, harassed and threatened," says one of them, Representative Emanuel Cleaver. "This is the politics of the 1950s." Obama and Axelrod have achieved their objectives: to belittle Hillary Clinton and to manoeuvre the ever-pliant media into depicting every political criticism she makes against Obama as racist in intent.
The danger is that, in their headlong rush to stop the first major female candidate (aka "Hildebeast" and "Hitlery") from becoming president, the punditocracy may have landed the Democrats with perhaps the least qualified presidential nominee ever. But that creeping realisation has probably come too late, and many of the Democratic super-delegates now fear there would be widespread outrage and increased racial tension if they thwart the first biracial presidential hopeful in US history.
But will Obama live up to the hype? That, I fear, may not happen: he is a deeply flawed candidate. Rampant sexism may have triumphed only to make way for racism to rear its gruesome head in America yet again. By election day on 4 November, I suspect, the US media and their would-be-macho commentators may have a lot of soul-searching to do.
As today's HUBdate notes: "The Popular Vote Leader: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports about Tuesday night's contests: 'Hillary Clinton netted approximately 150,000 votes and is now poised to finish the primary season as the popular-vote leader. In some quaint circles, presumably, these things still matter...If you believe that the most important precept in democratic politics is to 'count every vote,' then...Clinton leads Obama by 71,301 votes.' Read more." She's the stronger candidate. She's leading in the popular vote. She has a plan. Bob Somerby notes the media confession on the decision to weigh the scales against Hillary. You'll see that in play tonight and over the weekend as a remark she made pointing out that this primary is not really going that long. That will be dubbed 'news'. Barack not knowing how many states there are? His fan club in the press doesn't care.
NOW on PBS (airs tonight in most markets, check local listings) explores assault and rape in the military and asks: "How are these women picking up the pieces of their life after military sexual trauma?" Streaming will be available online by late tonight. Also on PBS (check local listings, airs tonight in most markets, some air it later or repeat it later), Washington Week finds Gwen sitting down with, among others, Dan Balz (Washington Post), NPR's Tom Gjelten and Time's Karen Tumulty. And on PBS tonight (check local listings) Bill Moyers Journal will note Memorial Day (this Monday) and you can watch the commentary already at YouTube.
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bill moyers journal
zachary coile
the san francisco chronicle
Other Items
More than a million civilians have been disabled by the war in Iraq, and represent the most marginalised sector of society. The psychological traumas they bear create serious imbalances inside their families, and the central government is not paying enough attention to the problem. The denunciation comes from Faris al-Ubeidi, an Iraqi researcher, interviewed by the news agency "Voice of Iraq". Al-Ubeidi explains that the state has the duty of guaranteeing that those who have been disabled by the war, but have professional skills, can still participate productively in the labour force. The problem is that fathers who have been handicapped and are unable to work feel that they are a burden on their families, and this generates psychological problems and tensions.
The above is from "War disabled the most marginalised in Iraq" (Asia News) which isn't getting attention. But, hey, Amy Goodman's plugging another feature film and still can't mention US war resister Corey Glass. Yeah, John Cusak's film's going to end the illegal war. It will sweep the country, no doubt, and provide Jeremy Scahill with a moment to gush over like in John's film Say A -- Wait, that's not John's film. No, damn it, Say Anything is Cameron Crowe's film. Cameron wrote it and he directed it. One Crazy Summer was the type of film John was 'known' for. Say Anything remains the first, of two, quality films John's been cast in (the other is The Grifters) so let's give credit where it's due, Scahill, it's Cameron Crowe's film. No time for Corey Glass, but Jeremy and Amy get to gush over a feature film and plug each other and it's all so sickeningly sweet you might assume you'd flipped to Good Morning America. And it's that crap that prevents the coverage of war resisters and other news. But remember Goody thinks she's a journalist. Well, so did Phyllis George. Reality will wake Goody the same way it did Phyllis. (And to be clear, this isn't a slam of the film Cusak has made. This is noting that the gushing was embarrassing and that none of it was news. It was a fan club. And, no, John Cusak is not a star. Stars have box office. Cusak is a leading man who is well known. There's a difference. And hearing Goody and Scahill gush about what a 'star' he was made took the show into Merv Griffin territory.) The story Goody's CHOSEN to ignore is that Iraq War veteran Corey Glass has been informed by the Canadian government that he needs to leave and, if he doesn't leave, they will deport him on June 12th.
Gordon Lubold's "Petraeus: More troop cuts likely in Iraq" (Christian Science Monitor) notes that 'maybe' from Gen David Petraeus on some minor troops withdrawals from Iraq before year's end. We covered it in yesterday's snapshot, but if you're going to read an article from one of the morning's papers, that's probably one of the stronger ones.
If you're not in the mood for the nonsense, let's all sing along with Diana Ross on the chorus of Ashford & Simpson's "Ain't Nothing But A Maybe:"
Ain't nothing but a maybe, baby
I sure would like to
I wanna know
I wanna know
I wanna know
I sure would like to
Ain't nothing but a maybe -- and 'details' (as CBS and AP reported) on the maybe wouldn't even come until September. Because it was important, we'll again drop back to yesterday's snapshot to note Patty Murray's statements from the Senate Veterans Committee:
Senator Patty Murray: Women have always played a role in our military going back to the founding of of our nation. However, as we all know, in today's conflicts women are playing a far different and far greater role. Women now make up 14% of our current active duty guard and reserve forces. Some units, including military police, are using an increased number of females to fill jobs that were traditionally held by male personnel. And because of the conflicts of today, we have no clear frontlines and women, like all of our service members, are always on the frontline -- riding on dangerous patrols, guarding pivotal check points and witnessing the horrors of war first hand. However, while women's numbers are rising on the battle field, up until now women have remained a small minority at the VA. According to the VA, there are more than 1.7 million women veterans but only 255,000 of those women actually use the VA health care services. For too long the reasons for this discrepancy have been elusive but today we are getting a clear picture. In fact, when I first started holding roundtables around my home state of Washington to talk to veterans about their experiences with the VA, I heard almost exclusively from men. They would sit at the table with me, they would stand up, they would tell their stories and talk about their issues. But inevitably, as I was leaving the room, a woman would come up to me and whisper to me her experiences. Some told me they had been intimidated by the VA and viewed the VA as a male only facility. Others simply told me that they couldn't find someone to watch their kids so they could attend a counseling session or find time for other care. But as some members of this committee and those who will testify today know the voices of women veterans are no longer whispers. Today they are full throated calls for equal access to care at the VA. And I believe that now, as we sit on the brink of seeing more returning veterans than ever before, it is time that we heed those calls. We simply cannot allow the attitudes of the past or the VA's lack of preparation for the influx of new women veterans to linger a moment longer. As The Independent Budget has noted [PDF format warning, here], the number of women using VA health care services will double in less than 5 years if women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan continue to enroll at the current enrollment rate. We need to make sure now that the VA is prepared to care for the needs of these honorable veterans today. And that is exactly why Senator [Kay Baily] Hutchinson and I introduced The Women's Health Care and Improvement Act of 2008. This important legislation will increase the number of women accessing care at the VA by increasing the VA's understanding of the needs of women vets and the practices that will best help them. It will do so by requiring the VA to study the health care needs of women who are serving or who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, study the effectiveness of current services being provided to women veterans, study barriers to care for women veterans who are not accessing the VA health care system and it will also help provide child care for new born children of a woman veteran who is receiving maternity care at the VA. It will implement a program to train, educate and certify VA mental health professionals to care for women with Military Sexual Trauma [MST] and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]. It will begin a pilot program that provides child care to women veterans that seek mental health care or other intensive health care services at the VA. It will begin a pilot program that provides readjustment counseling to women veterans in group retreat settings. It will make the position of Women Veterans Program Manger at all VA medical centers a full time position. And finally, it will include women that are recently separated from service on VA advisory boards. Now I know that the VA recognizes that they need to improve services for our women veterans and the department has taken several steps to do that. But a lot more needs to be done if we're going to ensure that women get access to equal care at the VA for health care benefits and services and that the VA health care system is tailored to meet the unique needs of our women veterans. Planning for the wave of new women veterans is going to be a difficult and complex task but the effort has to start today and it has to start with this bill.
NOW on PBS (airs tonight in most markets, check local listings) explores assault and rape in the military and asks: "How are these women picking up the pieces of their life after military sexual trauma?" Streaming will be available online by late tonight. Also on PBS (check local listings, airs tonight in most markets, some air it later or repeat it later), Washington Week finds Gwen sitting down with, among others, Dan Balz (Washington Post), NPR's Tom Gjelten and Time's Karen Tumulty -- the latter may return to journalism -- two weeks ago, she was apparently suffering from delusions that she was the second coming of Bette Davis:
He wasn't the only one going for theatrics. Karen Tumulty (Time magazine) can usually be counted on for some common sense but, apparently thrilled to 'on the road' and before a live audience, she mugged like Bette Davis at the end of her career when the problem wasn't that no one asked her to tone it down, it's that Davis wouldn't listen. After Friday's 'performance,' we eagerly await the announcement that Karen will soon be starring off-off-off Broadway in Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.
Her desire for theatrics was most evident in the double-take she attempted when Gwen noted a comment by Bill Clinton that Hillary could still get the nomination. Not content to mug like crazy, Karen added a slowly delivered, "Uh-huh." If only she was as precious as she thought she was in that moment.
Lastly, here's Howard Wolfson's "HUBdate: The Popular Vote Leader" (HillaryClinton.com) for today, noted by Alicia:
Also, Nader's store is here, and Hillary's store is here.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
ADDED: Martha and Shirley called to say CounterSpin is a huge topic in the e-mails. Ava and I will grab it at Third on Sunday. The plan is a 'reality' show and the chat & chews so CounterSpin's latest garbage will fit in there perfectly. Consider the source and consider that last week CounterSpin -- calling out the right, week after week! -- declared war on liberals.
iraq
the asia times
washington week
now on pbs
pbs
dan balz
the washington post
npr
time magazine
tom gjelten
karen tumulty
gordon lubold
the christian science monitor
The above is from "War disabled the most marginalised in Iraq" (Asia News) which isn't getting attention. But, hey, Amy Goodman's plugging another feature film and still can't mention US war resister Corey Glass. Yeah, John Cusak's film's going to end the illegal war. It will sweep the country, no doubt, and provide Jeremy Scahill with a moment to gush over like in John's film Say A -- Wait, that's not John's film. No, damn it, Say Anything is Cameron Crowe's film. Cameron wrote it and he directed it. One Crazy Summer was the type of film John was 'known' for. Say Anything remains the first, of two, quality films John's been cast in (the other is The Grifters) so let's give credit where it's due, Scahill, it's Cameron Crowe's film. No time for Corey Glass, but Jeremy and Amy get to gush over a feature film and plug each other and it's all so sickeningly sweet you might assume you'd flipped to Good Morning America. And it's that crap that prevents the coverage of war resisters and other news. But remember Goody thinks she's a journalist. Well, so did Phyllis George. Reality will wake Goody the same way it did Phyllis. (And to be clear, this isn't a slam of the film Cusak has made. This is noting that the gushing was embarrassing and that none of it was news. It was a fan club. And, no, John Cusak is not a star. Stars have box office. Cusak is a leading man who is well known. There's a difference. And hearing Goody and Scahill gush about what a 'star' he was made took the show into Merv Griffin territory.) The story Goody's CHOSEN to ignore is that Iraq War veteran Corey Glass has been informed by the Canadian government that he needs to leave and, if he doesn't leave, they will deport him on June 12th.
Gordon Lubold's "Petraeus: More troop cuts likely in Iraq" (Christian Science Monitor) notes that 'maybe' from Gen David Petraeus on some minor troops withdrawals from Iraq before year's end. We covered it in yesterday's snapshot, but if you're going to read an article from one of the morning's papers, that's probably one of the stronger ones.
If you're not in the mood for the nonsense, let's all sing along with Diana Ross on the chorus of Ashford & Simpson's "Ain't Nothing But A Maybe:"
Ain't nothing but a maybe, baby
I sure would like to
I wanna know
I wanna know
I wanna know
I sure would like to
Ain't nothing but a maybe -- and 'details' (as CBS and AP reported) on the maybe wouldn't even come until September. Because it was important, we'll again drop back to yesterday's snapshot to note Patty Murray's statements from the Senate Veterans Committee:
Senator Patty Murray: Women have always played a role in our military going back to the founding of of our nation. However, as we all know, in today's conflicts women are playing a far different and far greater role. Women now make up 14% of our current active duty guard and reserve forces. Some units, including military police, are using an increased number of females to fill jobs that were traditionally held by male personnel. And because of the conflicts of today, we have no clear frontlines and women, like all of our service members, are always on the frontline -- riding on dangerous patrols, guarding pivotal check points and witnessing the horrors of war first hand. However, while women's numbers are rising on the battle field, up until now women have remained a small minority at the VA. According to the VA, there are more than 1.7 million women veterans but only 255,000 of those women actually use the VA health care services. For too long the reasons for this discrepancy have been elusive but today we are getting a clear picture. In fact, when I first started holding roundtables around my home state of Washington to talk to veterans about their experiences with the VA, I heard almost exclusively from men. They would sit at the table with me, they would stand up, they would tell their stories and talk about their issues. But inevitably, as I was leaving the room, a woman would come up to me and whisper to me her experiences. Some told me they had been intimidated by the VA and viewed the VA as a male only facility. Others simply told me that they couldn't find someone to watch their kids so they could attend a counseling session or find time for other care. But as some members of this committee and those who will testify today know the voices of women veterans are no longer whispers. Today they are full throated calls for equal access to care at the VA. And I believe that now, as we sit on the brink of seeing more returning veterans than ever before, it is time that we heed those calls. We simply cannot allow the attitudes of the past or the VA's lack of preparation for the influx of new women veterans to linger a moment longer. As The Independent Budget has noted [PDF format warning, here], the number of women using VA health care services will double in less than 5 years if women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan continue to enroll at the current enrollment rate. We need to make sure now that the VA is prepared to care for the needs of these honorable veterans today. And that is exactly why Senator [Kay Baily] Hutchinson and I introduced The Women's Health Care and Improvement Act of 2008. This important legislation will increase the number of women accessing care at the VA by increasing the VA's understanding of the needs of women vets and the practices that will best help them. It will do so by requiring the VA to study the health care needs of women who are serving or who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, study the effectiveness of current services being provided to women veterans, study barriers to care for women veterans who are not accessing the VA health care system and it will also help provide child care for new born children of a woman veteran who is receiving maternity care at the VA. It will implement a program to train, educate and certify VA mental health professionals to care for women with Military Sexual Trauma [MST] and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]. It will begin a pilot program that provides child care to women veterans that seek mental health care or other intensive health care services at the VA. It will begin a pilot program that provides readjustment counseling to women veterans in group retreat settings. It will make the position of Women Veterans Program Manger at all VA medical centers a full time position. And finally, it will include women that are recently separated from service on VA advisory boards. Now I know that the VA recognizes that they need to improve services for our women veterans and the department has taken several steps to do that. But a lot more needs to be done if we're going to ensure that women get access to equal care at the VA for health care benefits and services and that the VA health care system is tailored to meet the unique needs of our women veterans. Planning for the wave of new women veterans is going to be a difficult and complex task but the effort has to start today and it has to start with this bill.
NOW on PBS (airs tonight in most markets, check local listings) explores assault and rape in the military and asks: "How are these women picking up the pieces of their life after military sexual trauma?" Streaming will be available online by late tonight. Also on PBS (check local listings, airs tonight in most markets, some air it later or repeat it later), Washington Week finds Gwen sitting down with, among others, Dan Balz (Washington Post), NPR's Tom Gjelten and Time's Karen Tumulty -- the latter may return to journalism -- two weeks ago, she was apparently suffering from delusions that she was the second coming of Bette Davis:
He wasn't the only one going for theatrics. Karen Tumulty (Time magazine) can usually be counted on for some common sense but, apparently thrilled to 'on the road' and before a live audience, she mugged like Bette Davis at the end of her career when the problem wasn't that no one asked her to tone it down, it's that Davis wouldn't listen. After Friday's 'performance,' we eagerly await the announcement that Karen will soon be starring off-off-off Broadway in Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.
Her desire for theatrics was most evident in the double-take she attempted when Gwen noted a comment by Bill Clinton that Hillary could still get the nomination. Not content to mug like crazy, Karen added a slowly delivered, "Uh-huh." If only she was as precious as she thought she was in that moment.
Lastly, here's Howard Wolfson's "HUBdate: The Popular Vote Leader" (HillaryClinton.com) for today, noted by Alicia:
The Popular Vote Leader: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports about Tuesday night’s contests: "Hillary Clinton netted approximately 150,000 votes and is now poised to finish the primary season as the popular-vote leader. In some quaint circles, presumably, these things still matter...If you believe that the most important precept in democratic politics is to 'count every vote,' then...Clinton leads Obama by 71,301 votes." Read more.
Hillary Strongest in Swing States: A Quinnipiac University poll out yesterday shows Hillary's continued strength in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania…She leads Sen. McCain by 7 in both Florida and Ohio and by 13 in Pennsylvania. Read more.
Overriding Bush’s Farm Bill Veto: In a statement yesterday, Hillary said: "I was proud to stand with my Senate colleagues in overriding President Bush's veto of the Farm Bill by a vote of 82 to 13. This bill is now law, and will move us further down the path to energy independence, provide a safety net for family farmers, enhance nutrition programs, require Country-of-Origin labeling, and improve access to broadband in rural communities...Senator McCain has made it clear that he agrees with President Bush on farm policy. Americans will have a real choice this fall -- between a candidate who supports rural America and family farms and John McCain, who offers a continuation of President Bush's failed policies." Read more.
Why I'm Supporting Hillary: One New York farmer says, "My passion is ensuring that we have family farms for future generations and that American agriculture is strong. I know Hillary understands and supports that!...Like South Dakota, New York is home to family farms (about 34,000), and I KNOW she will make the best president for producers and rural South Dakotans alike." Read more.
In Case You Missed It: A member of the Kansas City Star editorial board writes this to Hillary in a memo: "I have only two words to share with you about your valiant quest to become the 44th president of the United States and the first woman to hold the highest office in the land: Don’t quit." Read more.
Previewing Today: Hillary attends a "Solutions for Securing South Dakota’s Future" conversation in Brandon, SD and a "Solutions for Securing South Dakota’s Future" town hall in Brookings, SD.
On Tap: Tomorrow, Hillary travels to Puerto Rico for island campaign events.
And, from Team Nader "Nader at White House at Noon Today:"At noon today - as part of our tour of corporate occupied territory (read: our nation's capital) - Ralph Nader will appear with the growing Nader/Gonzalez team in front of the White House to call on President Bush and Vice President Cheney to resign.
C-Span will be there. Watch for it.
And this Memorial day weekend, our supporters have been deployed all around the country to put Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot in November.
For now, we have one simple request:
We need gas money to power our supporters in Pennsylvania.
We estimate the Pennsylvania ballot access drive will cost the campaign $50,000.
So far this week, 101 of you - our loyal supporters - have donated a total of 8,108.
We need another 420 of you to donate $100 each to reach our goal.
These are exciting times.
People are starting to understand that corporations are consolidating control.
And that as a result of that corporate control, people are hurting.
Simple as that.
Gasoline prices skyrocketing over $4 a gallon.
More than 4,000 young Americans dead in Iraq.
Still no universal, Canadian style national health insurance.
Why?
Because both political parties controlled by big corporations. And thus they can't stand with the people. (Another brick on this wall: The Rocky Mountain News reports this week that the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer is being sponsored by 56 major American corporations.)
The question is - what are we going to do about it?
The answer is - organize for November and beyond.
That is why we are here.
So, please support Nader/Gonzalez now.
Together, we will make a difference.
Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.
Onward.
The Nader Team
PS: We invite your comments to the blog.
Your contribution could be doubled. Public campaign financing may match your contribution total up to $250.Also, Nader's store is here, and Hillary's store is here.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
ADDED: Martha and Shirley called to say CounterSpin is a huge topic in the e-mails. Ava and I will grab it at Third on Sunday. The plan is a 'reality' show and the chat & chews so CounterSpin's latest garbage will fit in there perfectly. Consider the source and consider that last week CounterSpin -- calling out the right, week after week! -- declared war on liberals.
iraqthe asia timeswashington weeknow on pbspbsdan balzthe washington postnprtime magazinetom gjeltenkaren tumultygordon luboldthe christian science monitor
Iraq: Death and Graft
A local Iraqi police chief Thursday accused the U.S. military of killing seven Iraqi civilians, including at least one child, in a helicopter strike in northern Iraq.
The military said the adults were members of a bombing network, but it added that two children were killed in the clash.Wednesday's incident, the latest in a series of strikes that have injured or killed civilians, could raise tensions between U.S. troops and Sunni Arab tribesmen who have become allies in the fight against militants loyal to the group Al Qaeda in Iraq.
The above is from Alexandra Zavis and Saif Rascheed's "Iraq police chief says U.S. killed 7 civilians" (Los Angeles Times) and, in today's New York Times, Stephen Farrell's "U.S. Helicopter Strike in Iraq Kills 8 Civilians, Including 2 Children:"
The official, Col. Mudhir al-Qaysi of the Baiji police force, cited police officials in the village who claimed that they had gone to the site of the assault "and found the killed family unarmed and the bodies were burned and torn apart."
Colonel Qaysi said: "The scene of the bodies is ugly and these acts are unacceptable." He said that the dead included seven members of one family, including a child no older than 5. "We were hoping that the American Army would seek to improve its image after many crimes carried out by its soldiers in Iraq," he said.
The official, Col. Mudhir al-Qaysi of the Baiji police force, cited police officials in the village who claimed that they had gone to the site of the assault "and found the killed family unarmed and the bodies were burned and torn apart."
Colonel Qaysi said: "The scene of the bodies is ugly and these acts are unacceptable." He said that the dead included seven members of one family, including a child no older than 5. "We were hoping that the American Army would seek to improve its image after many crimes carried out by its soldiers in Iraq," he said.
Turning to the 'economics' of illegal war, Charlie notes Dana Hedgpeth's "Spending On Iraq Poorly Tracked: Audit Faults Accounting for $15 Billion in Work" (Washington Post):
The inspector general for the Defense Department said yesterday that the Pentagon cannot account for almost $15 billion worth of goods and services ranging from trucks, bottled water and mattresses to rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns that were bought from contractors in the Iraq reconstruction effort.
The Pentagon did not have the proper documentation, including receipts, vouchers, signatures, invoices or other paperwork, for $7.8 billion that American and Iraqi contractors were paid for phones, folders, paint, blankets, Nissan trucks, laundry services and other items, according to a 69-page audit released to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
An earlier audit by the inspector general found deficiencies in accounting for $5.2 billion of U.S. payments to buy weapons, trucks, generators and other equipment for Iraq's security forces. In addition, the Defense Department spent $1.8 billion of seized Iraqi assets with "absolutely no accountability," according to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), who chairs the oversight committee. The Pentagon also kept poor records on $135 million that it paid to its partners in the multinational military force in Iraq, auditors said.
The Pentagon did not have the proper documentation, including receipts, vouchers, signatures, invoices or other paperwork, for $7.8 billion that American and Iraqi contractors were paid for phones, folders, paint, blankets, Nissan trucks, laundry services and other items, according to a 69-page audit released to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
An earlier audit by the inspector general found deficiencies in accounting for $5.2 billion of U.S. payments to buy weapons, trucks, generators and other equipment for Iraq's security forces. In addition, the Defense Department spent $1.8 billion of seized Iraqi assets with "absolutely no accountability," according to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), who chairs the oversight committee. The Pentagon also kept poor records on $135 million that it paid to its partners in the multinational military force in Iraq, auditors said.
A visitor notes the BBC's "US spending in Iraq ignored rules" on the same topic:
In some cases, contracts worth millions of dollars were paid for in cash with little or no documentation to show what was delivered.
In one example, investigators found a copy of a $5.6m cheque paid by the US Treasury to an Iraqi contractor, but no records to show what had been purchased.
"Payments that are not properly supported do not provide the necessary assurance that funds were used as intended," the inspector general concluded.
The Pentagon auditors' review was released at a hearing of the US House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight and Government reform on Wednesday.
The visitor maintains that this is the hearing that should have been in yesterday's snapshot because "it's more important." No, it's not. A) This is the sort of thing that will get covered. B) The chair is fond of publicity and will ensure it gets some attention. C) I believe we all know about these practices. D) Most of us know about due to James Glanz owning this topic from the beginning. E) Glanz would most likely be covering it in Friday's paper. (Which he did and we'll get to it in a moment.) By contrast, the hearing in yesterday's snapshot took place on Wednesday and it didn't garner big stories. By contrast, Senate's Committee on Veterans Affairs had Les Blumenthal (McClatchy Newspapers)and not much else. That's not an insult to Blumenthal, just giving credit to someone who earned it. The corruption in Iraq has been well documented by Glanz (and many others). It's news, it's a story. (Hopefully Glanz will write about it in book form.) But it's also 'done.' That money's not coming back (and Waxman's committee might try practicing oversight over current spending because the graft has not stopped). By contrast, the number of veterans accessing the VA health care system will only rise and it is an important topic for that reason alone. Second, all the lip service given to this illegal war by the right, left and center (bumper stickers, flag pins, etc.) really means they should be focusing on veterans. If they're for or against the illegal war, wars produce veterans. Promises were made to those serving and promises will be broken even with tremendous oversight. With little to no attention? The bulk of the promises will be broken.
Equally true is that any push that can be made in benefits prior to a war ending is always a gain. By the time the war ends, the public and the Congress take a 'world weary' attitude and show far less attention and concern. Ask any veteran of Vietnam.
With so little attention paid to the 'issue,' it tends to become a monolithic one when, in fact, it's many, many issues. Senator Patty Murray made that point in the hearing and for her opening remarks alone, the hearing needed to be noted.
Equally true is that the hearing took place Wednesday (as noted in yesterday's snapshot). And, to be honest, I was planning to be lazy and just resort to a bunch of links and quotes from reports but, outside of Blumenthal, there really weren't any reports. Had Waxman's hearing not been covered in today's papers, I'd grab my notes for this afternoon's snapshot. But it was covered and it was always a hearing-most-likely-to-be-covered.
James Glanz files an extensive report entitled "Iraq Spending Ignored Rules, Pentagon Says" and, from that, we'll note
The Pentagon report, titled "Internal Controls Over Payments Made in Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt," also notes that auditors were unable to find a comprehensible set of records to explain $134.8 million in payments by the American military to its allies in the Iraq war.
The mysterious payments, whose amounts had not been publicly disclosed, included $68.2 million to the United Kingdom, $45.3 million to Poland and $21.3 million to South Korea. Despite repeated requests, Pentagon auditors said they were unable to determine why the payments were made.
[. . .]
According to the report, the Army made 183,486 "commercial and miscellaneous payments" from April 2001 to June 2006 from field offices in Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt, for a total of $10.7 billion in taxpayer money. The auditors focused on $8.2 billion in so-called commercial payments to contractors -- American, Iraqi and probably other foreign nationals -- although the report does not give details on the roster of companies.
And we'll again note Murray's statements in Wednesday's veterans committee hearing:
Senator Patty Murray: Women have always played a role in our military going back to the founding of of our nation. However, as we all know, in today's conflicts women are playing a far different and far greater role. Women now make up 14% of our current active duty guard and reserve forces. Some units, including military police, are using an increased number of females to fill jobs that were traditionally held by male personnel. And because of the conflicts of today, we have no clear frontlines and women, like all of our service members, are always on the frontline -- riding on dangerous patrols, guarding pivotal check points and witnessing the horrors of war first hand. However, while women's numbers are rising on the battle field, up until now women have remained a small minority at the VA. According to the VA, there are more than 1.7 million women veterans but only 255,000 of those women actually use the VA health care services. For too long the reasons for this discrepancy have been elusive but today we are getting a clear picture. In fact, when I first started holding roundtables around my home state of Washington to talk to veterans about their experiences with the VA, I heard almost exclusively from men. They would sit at the table with me, they would stand up, they would tell their stories and talk about their issues. But inevitably, as I was leaving the room, a woman would come up to me and whisper to me her experiences. Some told me they had been intimidated by the VA and viewed the VA as a male only facility. Others simply told me that they couldn't find someone to watch their kids so they could attend a counseling session or find time for other care. But as some members of this committee and those who will testify today know the voices of women veterans are no longer whispers. Today they are full throated calls for equal access to care at the VA. And I believe that now, as we sit on the brink of seeing more returning veterans than ever before, it is time that we heed those calls. We simply cannot allow the attitudes of the past or the VA's lack of preparation for the influx of new women veterans to linger a moment longer. As The Independent Budget has noted [PDF format warning, here], the number of women using VA health care services will double in less than 5 years if women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan continue to enroll at the current enrollment rate. We need to make sure now that the VA is prepared to care for the needs of these honorable veterans today. And that is exactly why Senator [Kay Baily] Hutchinson and I introduced The Women's Health Care and Improvement Act of 2008. This important legislation will increase the number of women accessing care at the VA by increasing the VA's understanding of the needs of women vets and the practices that will best help them. It will do so by requiring the VA to study the health care needs of women who are serving or who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, study the effectiveness of current services being provided to women veterans, study barriers to care for women veterans who are not accessing the VA health care system and it will also help provide child care for new born children of a woman veteran who is receiving maternity care at the VA. It will implement a program to train, educate and certify VA mental health professionals to care for women with Military Sexual Trauma [MST] and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]. It will begin a pilot program that provides child care to women veterans that seek mental health care or other intensive health care services at the VA. It will begin a pilot program that provides readjustment counseling to women veterans in group retreat settings. It will make the position of Women Veterans Program Manger at all VA medical centers a full time position. And finally, it will include women that are recently separated from service on VA advisory boards. Now I know that the VA recognizes that they need to improve services for our women veterans and the department has taken several steps to do that. But a lot more needs to be done if we're going to ensure that women get access to equal care at the VA for health care benefits and services and that the VA health care system is tailored to meet the unique needs of our women veterans. Planning for the wave of new women veterans is going to be a difficult and complex task but the effort has to start today and it has to start with this bill.
Robbie notes Howard Wolfson's "HUBdate: Count Every Vote" (HillaryClinton.com):
Count Every Vote: During a campaign stop at Century Village Retirement Community in Boca Raton, FL, Hillary told a crowd of 700 Floridians: "We believe that casting your vote is the truest expression of your will. Here in Florida, you learned the hard way what happens when your votes aren't counted. If any votes aren't counted, the will of the people isn't realized and our democracy is diminished." Read more. Read Hillary’s remarks here.
Automatic Delegate Watch: Guam Democratic Party Chair and automatic delegate Pilar Lujan today announced her support for Hillary.
Hillary Strongest in Swing States: A new Quinnipiac University poll out today shows Hillary's continued strength in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania…She leads Sen. McCain by 7 in both Florida and Ohio and by 13 in Pennsylvania. Read more.
Tomorrow On The Trail: Hillary will campaign in South Dakota, and will host "Solutions For Securing South Dakota's Future" events in Brandon and Brookings.
"Major General Paul Eaton Goes to Bat for Hillary" In Missoula, Montana, Major General Paul Eaton, Ret., told residents that Hillary is the best prepared to be commander in chief and bring the war in Iraq to a safe end. "We've got to get a competent leader into the White House," Eaton said. "Hillary Clinton is hands down electable because she is smart and she is tough." Read more.
Dalton’s Donation: "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has her own poster boy: Dalton Hatfield, who, as she reminded us during her victory speeches in both West Virginia and Kentucky, sold his bike and video games to donate more than $400 to her campaign." Read more.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
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the new york times
alexandra zavis
the los angeles times
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