I expect nothing but silence from the sheep on this one....
Service members press Congress to end occupation in Iraq
By Ed Shearer, Associated Press Writer | October 25, 2006
ATLANTA --Active duty service members, including one from Vermont, are using the military whistle-blower protection act to urge Congress to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring American soldiers home.
Jonathan Hutto of Atlanta, a Navy seaman based in Norfolk, Va., said the idea to appeal for redress originated in January when he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when one of his friends suggested he read the book "Soldiers in Revolt." It chronicled opposition to the Vietnam War by active duty military and how they appealed to their congressmen to end the conflict and bring the troops home.
"Many of us have to follow orders because we took an oath to defend the U.S.," Hutto said during a conference call with an attorney and two other active members of the military.
"Many of us have reservations about their orders and some feel compelled to let our feelings be known," Hutto said. "This occupation should come to an end right now."
Hutto said 65 service members from multiple branches of the military initially decided to file their appeal, a number that had grown to 219 at the start of the conference call.
Hutto urged any member of the military who wished to join the movement to go to the Web site http://www.appealforredress.org.
The Web site's wording for the appeal says, "As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home."
Hutto said the service members are not pacifists nor conscientious objectors and they don't advocate doing anything illegal.
"Under the military whistle-blower protection act, you have a right to send (an appeal) to any Congress person without reprisal," Hutto said.
Sgt. Liam Madden, a Marine from Rockingham, Vt., said he doesn't know why the nation is in Iraq when no weapons of mass destruction were found.
"The occupation is perpetuating more violence," he said. "If people want to support troops, they should support us coming home."
Service members press Congress to end occupation in Iraq
By Ed Shearer, Associated Press Writer | October 25, 2006
ATLANTA --Active duty service members, including one from Vermont, are using the military whistle-blower protection act to urge Congress to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring American soldiers home.
Jonathan Hutto of Atlanta, a Navy seaman based in Norfolk, Va., said the idea to appeal for redress originated in January when he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when one of his friends suggested he read the book "Soldiers in Revolt." It chronicled opposition to the Vietnam War by active duty military and how they appealed to their congressmen to end the conflict and bring the troops home.
"Many of us have to follow orders because we took an oath to defend the U.S.," Hutto said during a conference call with an attorney and two other active members of the military.
"Many of us have reservations about their orders and some feel compelled to let our feelings be known," Hutto said. "This occupation should come to an end right now."
Hutto said 65 service members from multiple branches of the military initially decided to file their appeal, a number that had grown to 219 at the start of the conference call.
Hutto urged any member of the military who wished to join the movement to go to the Web site http://www.appealforredress.org.
The Web site's wording for the appeal says, "As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home."
Hutto said the service members are not pacifists nor conscientious objectors and they don't advocate doing anything illegal.
"Under the military whistle-blower protection act, you have a right to send (an appeal) to any Congress person without reprisal," Hutto said.
Sgt. Liam Madden, a Marine from Rockingham, Vt., said he doesn't know why the nation is in Iraq when no weapons of mass destruction were found.
"The occupation is perpetuating more violence," he said. "If people want to support troops, they should support us coming home."
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