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Iraq veterans and resisters lead
march on Pentagon, events nationwide Message from Army Col. Ann Wright
(ret.) Army Spc. Mark Wilkerson was sentenced to seven months in the brig for refusing Iraq redeployment last month. Write to Mark c/o his wife Sarah: Mark and Sarah Wilkerson, PO Box 25037, Colorado Springs CO 80936. More info
Army Spc. Agustín Aguayo's fight against war
Report and photos by Lori Hurlebaus, Courage to Resist. March 29, 2007 On March 6, 35-year-old Army medic, Iraq veteran, and conscientious objector Agustín Aguayo, was sentenced to eight months in a military stockade for desertion and missing movement at the US Army’s Leighton Barracks in Wurzburg, Germany. Having already served 161 days in confinement since turning himself in at the Fort Irwin Army base in southern California, Agustín is expected to be released from confinement on April 18. Though happy he will be released in a few weeks and reunited with his family, Agustín noted that the desertion conviction “hurt his heart.” On behalf of Courage to Resist, I traveled to Germany with Agustín’s family in order to provide whatever continuing logistical and political support we could during this time—and make contacts with activists in Germany also organizing in support of the U.S. troops stationed in Germany who are questioning their orders to take part in occupation wars for empire. Wife Helga and daughters gather strengthThe Aguayo's have been fighting for almost three years for Agustín to be recognized as a conscientious objector. Most of that time they spent fighting quietly on a US Army base in Schweinfurt, Germany. That all changed when the US Army attempted to re-deploy Agustín to Iraq by force September 2, 2006. He resisted by escaping through his bedroom window. Agustín’s wife Helga, their twin 11-year-old daughters Raquel and Rebecca, and Agustín’s mother Susana Aguayo have tirelessly campaigned for his release from the Army since the day he turned himself on September 26 after holding a press conference in Los Angeles. They have shared Agustín’s story of courage and determination at anti-war rallies, high schools, colleges, and with the media. They issued a challenge to the anti-war movement to support his case and built a successful campaign of public support.
To make a financial contribution to Augie's defense fund visit: www.CouragetoResist.org/donate
Iraq vets, families, and resisters lead march on Pentagon, events nationwide
By Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist. March 27, 2007 On March 17, the 40th anniversary of the historic anti-Vietnam War march on the Pentagon, tens of thousands again marched on the Pentagon – this time of course to demand “U.S out of Iraq now!” Organized by the ANSWER Coalition, and led by Iraq Veterans Against the War, military families and GI resisters, the march began at the Lincoln Memorial and crossed the Arlington Memorial Bridge before turning south towards the Pentagon. Anita Dennis, speaking in front of the Pentagon for Courage to Resist with a stage lined with Iraq veterans, called on the rally to support the troops that refuse to fight – as her son Darrel Anderson did after returning from his first tour of duty in Iraq. More photos Darrell Anderson's fight is not yet over. He still suffers from PTSD and other health issues related to his service in Iraq. He needs and deserves VA benefits that his "other than honorable" prevent him from obtaining. Darrell has $4,000 in oustanding legal fees that he needs to pay before he can fight for his discharge upgrade to get VA benefits. Please help this Iraq combat veteran and courageous resister get the support and care he deserves. Please send donations to "Darrell Anderson Legal Fees Fund", P.O. Box 54675, Lexington KY 40555-4675. Contact: resistwithdarrell@insightbb.com In Los Angeles, the Aguayo family joined Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress and the Asian American Vietnam Veterans Organization to support war resisters. Anti-war Iraq vets hold "Operation First Casualty," occupation staged at Washington DC landmarks
On March 19, 2007 a platoon of Iraq Veterans Against the War took to the streets of downtown Washington DC reenacting their experiences in Iraq as participants in an unjust war. A dozen others filled the roles of Iraq civilians under foreign occupation. Troops reenacted mass roundups and detentions, prisoner searches and interrogations, and patrol operations on the Capitol Building lawns, the gates of the White House, the Washington Monument, the Treasury Building, Union Station, and a military recruiting station. Troops barked orders, “To shut the hell up or I’ll blow their freaking head of!” to suspected insurgents and/or Iraqi civilians. Marine Sgt. Adam Charles Kokesh described his involvement, "I walked point in our squad as we patrolled Washington to bring home the truth of the war and call attention to our cause. I didn’t want to do it. I was scared. I feared that violating the sanctity of the Marine Corps utility uniform would be sacrilege... But to not participate when perfectly able would have been to betray myself... What we did was a little bit crazy, and you have to be a little screwy to do something like this. But we’re the lucky ones." Leaflets were distributed to people walking by to explain that “this is what is happening every day in Iraq.” Although the IVAW platoon was detained briefly near the Capitol Building, and shadowed by a multi-agency SWAT team, no casualties were taken. Midway throw the day the platoon joined a press conference with Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace, and the Appeal for Redress to call on congress to “Support the troops by de-funding the war.” More photos
A message from Army Col. Ann Wright (ret.)
I served 29 years in the US Army/Army Reserves primarily in Special Operations units and retired as a Colonel. I also served 16 years in the US diplomatic corps in Nicaragua, Grenada, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sierra Leone, Micronesia and Mongolia. I was on the small team that reopened the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan in December, 2001. I was one of three US diplomats who resigned in March, 2003 in opposition to the war on Iraq. As I resigned my career on principle against an illegal war, I fully support the right of US military personnel who, in acts of conscience, refuse to go to a war of aggression, a war crime. While I could resign my career with no consequences other than not having a job, military personnel who take their stand of conscience face certain imprisonment. Taking a stand of conscience against an illegal war while in the US military requires courage and bravery. I proudly support those who take such a stand. Please make a donation to support the work of Courage to Resist. |
Spc. Agustín Aguayo’s fight against
war
