More than 4,000 people, largely from the Northeast, came to this resort town of the filthy rich to ruin George W. Bush’s summer vacation.
The local antiwar group, the Kennebunk Peace Department, organized the march and rally, which featured Cindy Sheehan, war resister Eli Israel, Iraqi solidarity activist Dahlia Wasfi, and Gold Star Families members Carlos and Melida Arredondo, together with representatives of antiwar organizations from across the region.
Following the rally, protesters marched through the town of Kennebunkport past enormous vacation homes and luxury resorts to the Bush family compound.
By far the largest displays of support were reserved for Eli Israel and other members of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Israel, while stationed in Camp Victory in Baghdad two months ago, told his commanding officers that he would refuse to fight.
Israel told the crowd that he had been unable to "reconcile up here [pointing to his head] with what cannot be reconciled in here [pointing to his heart]." He added that as more soldiers come to see the lies behind the war, "the troops will remove themselves from the president’s mission."
Though Bush reportedly changed his vacation plans and left town in advance of the protest, the loud, spirited march also passed by the summer mansion of Riley Bechtel, CEO of the Bechtel Corporation--who was met with chants of "Halliburton and Bechtel, take your war and go to hell."

The above, noted by Melissa, is from Nick Chin and Hannah Morong's "Protest hits Bush vacation spot" (US The Socialist Worker). Eli Israel is the first US service member in Iraq to publicly refuse (while serving in Iraq) to fight in the illegal war.

From yesterday's snapshot:

Kokesh will be in Fort Worth, Texas on September 1st for American People's Poll on Iraq Texas Townhall. Texans for Peace explains that "Presidential candidates, members of Congress and the world media will be in Fort Worth attending the Texas Republican Straw Poll" which makes it the perfect time for thos in the area to register their opposition to the illegal war. Along with Kokesh, also speaking will be Diane Wilson, Tina Richards, Ann Wright, and IVAW's Leonard Shetlon and CO (and Rev.) Hart Viges. A full list can be found here. Throughout the day (nine to five, this is a Saturday) there will be canvassing and straw polls, the pre-rally entertainment starts at one p.m. and the peace rally begins at 1:30 and lasts until 3:30. Fort Worth is a city in Texas, part of the Dallas and Fort Worth region known there as "DFW." Suburbs, towns and cities in the area include Denton, Plano, Arlington, Irvining, Bach Springs, Desoto, Duncanville, Lewisville, Addison, Grand Prairie and a host of others. There is a point. Texans for Peace notes that you can catch the Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth and that at 12:30 pm volunteers will be helping transport people to the rally.

That's this Saturday.

Turning to the New York Times where Stephen Farrell's "U.S. Troops Arrest Members of Iran Ministry in Baghdad" reports on the arrests of Iranians in Iraq:

An Iranian Energy Ministry delegation was arrested by American troops at a hotel in central Baghdad during an official visit to Iraq, the Iranian state news agency, IRNA, and hotel staff said Tuesday night.
American forces confirmed that a group of Iranians was detained after coalition forces searched them and their Iraqi escorts at a checkpoint, found unauthorized weapons in their vehicles and confiscated them.
The American statement did not mention the hotel, but it is near the checkpoint on the east bank of the Tigris where United States forces said the group was stopped and searched.
Staff at an Iraqi state-owned hotel called the Sheraton Ishtar said Wednesday that the delegation was detained while the members were eating dinner in the ground floor restaurant, where they had apparently proceeded from the nearby checkpoint.

B-b-but, the US military says it was a checkpoint! Apparently one located next to the dessert cart. Farrell also informs that handcuffing the six wasn't enough, they also were blindfolded.
Robin Stringer (Bloomberg News) reports the US military continues to maintain it happened at a checkpoint

The Iranians were with seven Iraqis when their four vehicles were stopped at a checkpoint near the capital's Sheraton Hotel yesterday, the U.S. military said today in an e-mailed statement. The military didn't say why the group was detained. An AK-47 rifle and two pistols were taken from the Iraqis, who were "serving as a protective detail,'' the military said.

So, as the story changes, the US military now says the weapons were on the Iraqis. Stringer notes the eight Iranians have now been released. The Washington Post cites AP to note "about 10" men were taken from the hotel allong with "luggage and at least one briefcase and a laptop computer bag".


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Today the US military announced: "One Multi-National Corps – Iraq Soldier died of wounds suffered during combat operations in the vicinity of Kirkuk Aug. 28." The announcement brings the ICCC total for the number of US service members killed in Iraq this month to 75 with 3733 being the total number killed in the illegal war since it started.


Yesterday Bully Boy tossed out some more lies in another embarrassing speech (this time in Reno). Lloyd notes this from Michael Abramowitz' "As Iraq Situation Varies, Bush Sticks With Encouraging Words" (Washington Post):

In his address Tuesday to thousands of Legionnaires attending their national convention, Bush seemed especially effusive in touting security gains from the additional 30,000 troops he sent to Baghdad in January -- even as he urged Congress once again to reserve judgment until it hears another assessment next month from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker.
"The momentum is now on our side," Bush said. "The surge is seizing the initiative from the enemy -- and handing it to the Iraqi people."

Another 'turned corner,' another wave of Operation Happy Talk. Already there have been more announced deaths of US service members than the same time last year (65 was the total for August 2006).

Each wave comes with more deaths and more financial costs. Thomas E. Ricks' "Bush Wants $50 Billion More for Iraq War" (Washington Post):

The request -- which would come on top of about $460 billion in the fiscal 2008 defense budget and $147 billion in a pending supplemental bill to fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq -- is expected to be announced after congressional hearings scheduled for mid-September featuring the two top U.S. officials in Iraq. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker will assess the state of the war and the effect of the new strategy the U.S. military has pursued this year.

Today, Bully Boy has several photo-ops for the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. They include schools. Let's hope he doesn't get entranced by My Pet Goat again.

In news of other lying leaders, Lelia Fadel (McClatchy Newspapers) interviews the puppet of the occupation from his office within the heavily fortified Green Zone. This is from Fadel's "An interview with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki:"


FADEL: The Sadrists have compared your government to Saddam Hussein's government. Two American Democrats have called for your resignation, and behind the scenes, some say you act as an opposition leader rather than a leader of Iraq. The Kurds have told Western officials that if you don't deliver on promises at the summit they would try to get your resignation. How do you react to this as a leader of Iraq? Would you consider resigning?
MALIKI: In truth I did not come to this position from being a king or a prince but have reached here through a political process, democracy and national will. I did not come here by hereditary right, neither is there a hierarchy in Iraq today. This is the first part.

National will? The members of Parliament that backed him probably had no idea of how awful he'd be. He has been awful. He's been a series of repeated failures. This goes beyond the fact that he's a puppet whose strings are pulled. The US has had many of those over the years. al-Maliki has failed Iraq even in the capacity of heavily controlled puppet.

In addition to the transcript of the interview, Fadel also offers "Iraq's Maliki speaks on government, future" and we'll note this from it:

Despite Maliki's confidence, the scene at his office made it clear that his survival isn't being debated only in Washington. Maliki's security guards were closely watching a talk show on a wide screen Panasonic television in the lobby. The topic was whether Maliki is the only choice for Iraq, and political pundits were debating whether the prime minister should step down.
When Maliki entered, the guards turned down the volume, but kept the program on.

In the New York Times this morning, Stephen Farrell's "50 Die in Fight Between Shiite Groups in Karbala" notes the mass violence in Karbala:

A power struggle between rival Shiite groups erupted Tuesday during a religious festival in Karbala, as men with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades fought street battles amid crowds of pilgrims, killing 50 people and wounding 200, Iraqi officials said.
[. . .]
Tensions between the Mahdi Army and the Badr Organization have simmered for months. Both are vying for control of the overwhelmingly Shiite regions of central and southern Iraq. Two provincial governors belonging to the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council were assassinated in southern Iraq this month, although the Sadrists deny involvement.

Martha notes Megan Greenwell's "Riots at Iraqi Religious Festival Leave Dozens Dead" (Washington Post):

Many of the estimated 1 million pilgrims ignored prohibitions against carrying weapons. Muntadar al-Jabiri, a commander in the Mahdi Army, said the fighting started because other Shiites were allowed to bring guns into the city while Sadr's followers were not.
"Some of us were carrying pistols, but not all of us," Jabiri said of his 31-person group. "They were authorized pistols from Sadr's office and we had IDs to carry them. They do not respect us just because we are from the Sadr bloc."
In apparent retaliation for the sense of mistreatment in Karbala, Sadr supporters set fire to a Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council office in the Baghdad neighborhood of Kadhimiyah.

Reuters reports puppet al-Maliki has declared "The situation in Kerbala is under control after military reinforcements arrived and police and military special forces have spread throughout the city to purge those killers and criminals"; however, not everyone's reassured by the babbles of the puppet:

"Do we have a government? There is no Iraqi government, because pilgrims were killed in Kerbala between the two shrines," said Qassim Salman, one of thousands of fleeing pilgrims who reached Baghdad in buses.

Despite the puppet's claims, turn on your TV -- it appears the violence in Karbala is still going on but what are your own eyes compared to al-Maliki's statements?

The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.


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BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIX MIX & THE TCI WIRE -- RENO.

TODAY THE BULLY BOY OF THE UNITED STATES WENT TO RENO, NEVADA AND AMERICA CRAPPED OUT.

IN TODAY'S ROUND OF "LIAR! LIAR" BULLY BOY PEELED OFF HIS FIRST OBVIOUS LIE IN SENTENCE 6 WHERE HE DECLARED, "I'M HONORED TO REPRESENT POST 77 OF HOUSTON, TEXAS."

BULLY BOY WAS IN AND OUT OF THE NATIONAL GUARD STATESIDE (THE TERM IS "A.W.O.L."). HE SERVED IN NO FOREIGN WAR. HIS COMPLETION OF THE APPLICATION MUST HAVE BEEN HIGHLY CREATIVE. HE WAS NEVER "ACTIVE DUTY."

HE THEN SUCKED UP REPEATEDLY BEFORE OFFERING THAT THE FLAG WAS MORE THAN CLOTH AND HE JOINED THE AMERICAN LEGION IN CALLING FOR ITS PROTECTION -- APPARENTLY DICK CHENEY'S THREATENED TO USE IT DURING DUCK HUNTS. A PITY THAT HIS SPEECH NEVER MENTIONED ANY VALUE OF THE UNITED STATES' CONSTITUTION -- THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND HE'S SHREDDED REPEATEDLY.


THEN HE LIED ABOUT VETERANS HEALTH CARE SAYING, "WE SHARE A COMMON GOAL TO MAKE SURE OUR VETERANS HAVE ALL THE HELP THEY NEED."

THAT HE WASN'T BOOED SHOWS EITHER EXTREME POLITENESS OR LITTLE GRASP OF REALITY.

THE WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER SCANDALS THAT SHAMED HIS ADMINISTRATION THIS YEAR WERE NO SURPRISE FOR THOSE PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW BULLY BOY WAS DESTROYING VETERANS' HEALTH CARE.

IN AUGUST OF 2002, U.S. SENATOR JOHN KERRY ISSUED A CALL FOR BULLY BOY "TO REMOVE THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL WHO MADE THE DECISION TO CEASE VA VETERANS HEALTHCARE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES" NOTING THE MEMORANDUM CALLING FOR DISCONTINUING OUTREACH EFFORTS, "THIS IS A MEMORANDUM WHICH REPRESENTS AN EXTRAORDINARY BROKEN PROMISE TO THE VETERANS OF OUR COUNTRY. THE PROMISE MADE TO VETERANS FAMILIES THAT THESE SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THEM -- AND MANY OF THEM DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ALL THE SERVICES ARE -- THAT IS WHY WE PUT INTO PLACE THE OUTREACH EFFORTS IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T DENIED THOSE SERVICES WHICH THEY MIGHT HAVE FORTHCOMING." SENATOR KERRY NOTED THAT "ENROLLMENT HAS INCREASED BY 15 PERCENT. SO THE BUDGET OUGHT TO REFLECT THAT. THE BUDGET OUGHT TO REFLECT THAT."

BUT IT DIDN'T.


AS THE ARKANSAS NEWS BUREAU NOTED JUNE 4, 2004, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PUBLISHED THE CONTENTS OF A MAY 19, 2004 WHIE HOUSE BUDGET OFFICE MEMO THAT "REVEALED INFORMATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE THAT SAID THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER DOMESTIC AGENCIES WOULD FACE SPENDING CUTS AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION -- IF BUSH WON."

WALTER REED WAS NOT A SURPRISE, NOR THE ONLY VETERANS AFFAIRS SCANDAL UNDER THE BULLY BOY. IN 2004, NO-FACTCHECK.ORG DECIDED TO CARRY WATER FOR THE BULLY BOY AND, AS SUCH, THEY HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS AND HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT.

IN JANUARY 2003, U.S. SENATOR PATTY MURRAY CALLED ON THE BULLY BOY TO RESTORE PRIORITY GROUP 8 ENROLLMENT -- ENROLLMENT BULLY BOY HAD CUT.

BULLY BOY THEN ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CREDIT FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AUTOMATIC AS HE DECLARED, "I KNOW HEALTH CARE IS A CONCERN OF YOURS, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE EXTENDED TREATMENT TO A MILLION ADDITIONAL VETERANS, INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN RETURNING FROM AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ." VETERANS OF WARS WOUNDED ON THE BATTLE FIELD WERE NOT "EXTENDED TREATMENT," THEY ALREADY QUALIFIED. THE ONLY "CREDIT" BULLY BOY CAN CLAIM IS THAT HE INCREASED THEIR NUMBER VIA HIS LUST FOR WAR, WAR, WAR!

HE SPOKE OF THE COUNTRY BEING CALLED FOR "GLOBAL LEADERSHIP" BUT REFUSED TO MENTION THAT HE HAD FAILED ANY SUCH CALL THOUGH HE HAD DEMONSTRATED A REAL ITCH TO BE THE COP OF THE WORLD.

HE LIED REPEATEDLY SUCH AS WHEN HE SAID THE FOLLOWING.

"WE TOPPLED TWO REGIMES IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAG THAT GAVE HARBOR TO TERRORISTS . . ."

SADAM HUSSEIN AND AL-QAEDA WERE NOT IN LEAGUE TOGETHER. HUSSEIN WAS A SECULAR DICTATOR AND HAD NO INTEREST -- AS HIS WARS WITH IRAN DEMONSTRATED -- IN SUPPORTING FUNDAMENTALISM.

", DEFIED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY,"

WEAPONS INSPECTORS LEFT IRAQ IN 2003 NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE KICKED OUT BY HUSSEIN BUT BECAUSE BULLY BOY SAID THE U.S. WAS GOING TO WAR. THE FOOTAGE OF THEM FLEEING IN THEIR S.U.V.S PLAYED ON MOST NETWORKS THOUGH WE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO PRETEND NOW THAT IT DID NOT.

"AND THREATENED THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION."

IRAQ HAD NO W.M.D.S THAT WAS A LIE TOLD BY THE WHITE HOUSE TO SCARE THE PEOPLE INTO SUPPORTING BULLY BOY'S ILLEGAL WAR.

NO W.M.D.S WERE FOUND IN IRAQ BECAUSE NONE EXISTED.

TO NO SURPRISE, HE THEN MOVED ON TO "SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001" -- IN HIS CONTINUED ATTEMPTS TO TRICK THE PUBLIC INTO THINKING IRAQ HAD ANY INVOLVEMENT IN 9-11.

AT LEAST HE GOT THE DATE RIGHT. MOVING ON TO THE BOMBING OF THE U.S.S. COLE HE SAID "THE USS COLE IN 2001". OCTOBER 12, 2000 WAS THE DATE. SINCE HE WAS SPEAKING TO THE AMERICAN LEGION, YOU'D THINK HIS HANDLERS WOULD HAVE PREPPED HIM ON THAT DATE.

HE THEN MOVED ON TO "THE OTHER STRAIN OF RADICALISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST" WHICH HE TERMED "SHIA EXTREMISM" AND INSTEAD OF NOTING THE MILITIAS HE'S BACKED IN IRAQ, HE POINTED THE FINGER AT IRAN.

HE WENT INTO A HARD SALE FOR HIS LONGED FOR NEXT ILLEGAL WAR: IRAN. HE THEN DID A VARIATION ON HIS OLD LINE OF 'FIGHTING THEM THERE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT THEM HERE" AND NO ONE STOPPED HIM TO POINT OUT IRAQ DID NOT ATTACK THE UNITED STATES AND IRAN HAS NOT ATTACKED THE U.S.

HE BEGAN TALKING ABOUT "SUNNI EXTREMISTS" IN IRAQ AND SAYING THEY WERE BEHIND "SENSATIONAL ATTACKS ON INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN" APPARENTLY HOPING THAT NO ONE FOLLOWED THE NEWS AND WAS AWARE OF THE SHI'ITE ATTACKS SUCH AS TODAY'S ATTACK THAT THE PRESS IS REPORTING WAS SHIA-ON-SHIA VIOLENCE WITH PILGRIMS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE.

HE THEN PRESENTED AS FACT THE STILL UNPROVEN ACCUSATION THAT IRAN IS ARMING MILITANTS IN IRAQ. HE DECLARED THAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT IT BUT IT DID NOT MATTER BECAUSE THEY ARE, HIS UNPROVEN CLAIM, "AIDING ATTACKS AGAINST COALITION FORCES AND THE MURDER OF INNOCENT IRAQIS." LEFT UNSAID WAS THE NEWS THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING DUMB WHILE U.S. TAX PAYER IS AIDING ATTACKS ON U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS AND IRAQIS BY PAYING CONTRACTORS THEY KNOW FORK THE MONEY OVER TO MILITANTS IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE.

IT WAS ONE LIE AFTER ANOTHER INCLUDING THE BIGGEST ONE THAT THE IRAQI CONSTITUTION, UNDER OCCUPATION, IS THE "MOST PROGRESSIVE" -- A LIE THAT MANY IRAQI WOMEN WHO LOST LEGAL RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION WOULD DISAGREE WITH HIM ON.

HE SPUN A 'DRAFT LAW' OVERTURNING THE DE-BAATHIFICATION WITHOUT EVER NOTING (A) PAUL BREMER PUT THE DE-BATHIFICATION INTO PROCESS (NOT IRAQIS), (B) THE ALLEGED "DRAFT LAW" WAS ANNOUNCED SUNDAY . . . BUT THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT IS OUT OF SESSION UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4TH. PUPPET OF THE OCCUPATION NOURI AL-MALIKI CAN CLAIM ANY LIE HE WANTS BUT NO "DRAFT LAWS" CAN BE INTRODUCED IN A LEGISLATIVE BODY WHEN THE BODY IS NOT MEETING.

HE LIED THAT A GOAL POST HAD BEEN MOVED. HE SAID HE'D BEEN CRITICIZED FOR HIS ILLEGAL WAR FAILING TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO IRAQIS AND NOW THAT SECURITY WAS THERE, THE GOAL LINE WAS BEING CHANGED. SECURITY IS NOT THERE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO IMPROVEMENTS, JUST EMPTY STATEMENTS MADE BY MILITARY FLACKS WHO REFUSE TO PROVIDE HARD NUMBERS. AN AP STUDY FOUND THAT "THE DEATH TOLL FOR IRAQI CIVILIANS IS DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS A YEAR AGO. ESTIMATES WHO IRAQ IS SUFFERING AN AVERAGE SIXTY-TWO DEATHS PER DAY, UP FROM THIRTY-THREE LAST YEAR. MEANWHILE THE IRAQI RED CRESCENT REPORTS THE NUMBER OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED IRAQIS HAS ALSO DOUBLED OVER THE COURSE OF THE SO-CALLED U.S. TROOP SURGE. MORE THAN 1.1 MILLION IRAQIS ARE NOW INTERNALLY DISPLACED, UP FROM UNDER FOUR-HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND EARLIER THIS YEAR."


U.S. SENATOR AND 2008 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL JOE BIDEN DECLARED THE BULLY BOY'S ILLEGAL WAR "MISGUIDED AND MISMANGED" -- BUT FAILED TO NOTE IT WAS "ILLEGAL" -- ADDING THAT, "LAST MONTH, THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY RELEASED A NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE ON 'THE TERRORIST THREAT TO THE U.S. HOMELAND.' IT WAS A DEVASTING INDICMENT OF THE AMINISTRATION'S FAILUE TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MOST IMPORTANT MISSION: DESTROYING AL QAEDA AND THE THREAT IT POSES. . . . THE SAME NIE SPOTLIGHTED THE DANGER POSED BY 'AL QAEDA IN IRAQ,' A GROUP INDEPENDENT OF, BUT NOW AFFILATED WITH OSAMA BIN LADEN'S AL QAEDA. THE PRESIDNET LIKES TO CONFUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY CONFLATING 'AL QAEDA IN IRAQ' WITH THE TERRORISTS WHO ATTACKED US ON 9/11. THEY ARE NOT ONE AND THE SAME IN FACT, 'AL QAEDA IN IRAQ' DID NOT EXIST BEFORE WE WENT INTO IRAQ -- IT IS A BUSH-FULFILLING PROPHECY."

THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE SPEECH WAS THAT BULLY BOY, HAVING BEEN SLAPPED DOWN FOR HIS LIES LAST WEEK, DID NOT GO TO THE VIETNAM WELL.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Starting with war resistance. The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) issued a statement in support of Iraq war resister Ehren Watada this month. Watada is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq (June 2006). In February of this year he was court-martialed and when it was obvious he stood a good chance of winning support of the jury, Judge Toilet (aka John Head) called a mistrial over defense objection. As the National Lawyers Guild president Marjorie Cohn has noted, double-jeopardy had already attached the case. Judge Toilet immediately scheduled a new court-martial -- yet another power he actually did not have which is why that March court-martial never took place. Currently, Watada's court-martial is on the October docket; however, due to the appeals process and the issues of double-jeopardy and whether or not the incompetent Judge Toilet will again be allowed to preside, Watada's attorneys have stated their belief that it is unlikely the court-martial will take place in October and, of course, the double-jeopardy issue could toss the court-martial completely (the Constitution of the United States forbids double-jeopardy).The JACL began in 1929 and, at that time, its focus was on "the civil rights of Americans of Japanese ancestry, [but] today we are committed to protecting the rights of all segments of the Asian Pacific American community." Ben Hamamoto (Nichi Bei Times) reports that August 18th was when the JACL's "National Board voted to pass a resolution in support of the civil rights of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, the Sansei U.S. Army lieutenant who refused deployment to Iraq on the grounds that he believes the war is illegal. The vote occurred at the organization's regular board meeting at its San Francisco headquarters." Hamamoto goes on to trace the long (and overly cautious) process the JACL took en route to that resolution (including watering down the resolution) which now includes "the National JACL Board believes that all American citizens have the right to a fair and impartial trial, which includes the right to have a trial presided over by an impartial judge and to be protected from double jeopardy." The watering down process stripped key portions from the statement. Hamamoto explains, "It does not, however, offer an explicit position on whether or not Head would be an impartial judge for a retrial, whether Watada's first hearing was fair, or whether trying him again would constitute double jeopardy." A number of people worked very hard to get even that passed and they deserve congratulations for what they accomplished.

Aimee Allison and David Solnit's Army Of None notes Watada's speech at last years Veterans for Peace conference in Seattle and excerpts this part, "I speak with you about a radical idea . . . The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it . . . Those wearing the uniform must know beyond any shadow of a doubt that by refusing immoral and illegal orders they will be supported by the people not with mere words but by action . . . To support the troops who resist, you must make your voices heard. If they see thousands supporting me, they will know. I have seen this support with my own eyes . . . For me it was a leap of faith. For other soldiers, they do not have that luxury. They must know it and you must show it to them. Convince them that no matter how long they site in prison, no matter how long this country takes to right itself, their families will have a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, opportunities and education."

There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Zamesha Dominique, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Carla 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, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko,Brandon Hughey, 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, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, forty-one 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, Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters.

Back in June, Evan Knappenberger staged an eight day vigil on a tower in Washington state. He explained to Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!), ""I decided a couple of weeks ago that I needed to do something to affect a positive change in all these kind of negative things going on. I figured the best way to do that would be to draw some attention to these policies that the military is using to fight this war without actually -- you know, a war without conscription, basically. So in the middle of the night I had this great idea, just as a symbol of something kind of similar to what Operation First Casualty is, you know, to bring the war to the American people, because there is a big disconnect between the civilian population and those of us who were in Iraq. We can see -- as veterans of Iraq -- we understand kind of the way that these policies get perpetrated, and the American people need to be made aware of that. So I had this great idea to bring that home and ended up on a tower for eight days." Sunday, August 26th, began another vigil, this one in DC at the Mall on Washington where he has constructed a scaffold.Knappenberger is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and IVAW's Adam Kokesh and Tassi McKee as well as Tina Richards and Washington Peace Center's Jay Marx are among the ones showing their support in DC. More information can be found at Tower Guard Vigil.

Kokesh will be in Fort Worth, Texas on September 1st for American People's Poll on Iraq Texas Townhall. Texans for Peace explains that "Presidential candidates, members of Congress and the world media will be in Fort Worth attending the Texas Republican Straw Poll" which makes it the perfect time for thos in the area to register their opposition to the illegal war. Along with Kokesh, also speaking will be Diane Wilson, Tina Richards, Ann Wright, and IVAW's Leonard Shetlon and CO (and Rev.) Hart Viges. A full list can be found here. Throughout the day (nine to five, this is a Saturday) there will be canvassing and straw polls, the pre-rally entertainment starts at one p.m. and the peace rally begins at 1:30 and lasts until 3:30. Fort Worth is a city in Texas, part of the Dallas and Fort Worth region known there as "DFW." Suburbs, towns and cities in the area include Denton, Plano, Arlington, Irvining, Bach Springs, Desoto, Duncanville, Lewisville, Addison, Grand Prairie and a host of others. There is a point. Texans for Peace notes that you can catch the Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth and that at 12:30 pm volunteers will be helping transport people to the rally.

Community member Diana and her family took part in the April 2006 immigrants rally in downtown Dallas that had at least a half million participants making it the largest protest in Dallas' history. She noted the traffic issue when she shared her experiences from that rally. Today, she explained over the phone that the easiest thing for people to the north, east or south of Fort Worth wanting to attend Saturday's events but unsure of how to get there is to utilize the Trinity train. She suggests grabbing a Dart Express Train and taking it to Union Station (in downtown Dallas). You can pick up the TRE there. ("It's the big, brown -- same brown as UPS uses --train that runs right next to the two light rails," says Diana.) ADDED: Dallas and Billie both note that there is also a solid white train. Billie: "Brown or white, they are real trains that look like trains, not the light rail." Texans for Peace notes that the TRE (Trinity Railway Express) runs from eight in the morning until eleven at night on Saturdays.

The book noted earlier for the Watada quote was Army of None, published by Seven Stories Press, available at Courage to Resist and many other places, which is written by Aimee Allison and David Solnit. This Thursday there will be a release celebration for the event at Club Oasis (135 12th St., btwen. Madison and Oak Sts., Oakland 6 blocks E. of Broadway/12th St. -- click here for East Bay express' map of Club Oasis' location). The event is free and open to all. The authors will be there, Jeff Paterson will have a slide show, there will be a puppet show, poets, snakcs, a dj . . . The event starts at 6:30 pm. More information can be found [Warning: MySpace page] by clicking here.

RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot"

"Army Of None book release event Thursday in Oakland"

"Funding and now news of arming as well"

"isaiah's comics, alberto cancelled"

"Bully Boy funds terrorism"

"Marjorie Cohn, Third"

"The for-show meeting meant nothing"

"Larry Craig's 'wide stance'"

"THIS JUST IN! WATCH THAT 'WIDE STANCE' IN AIRPORT BATHROOMS!"

the daily jot

cedrics big mix

mcclatchy newspapers

the washington post

democracy now

Tuesday, August 28, 2007. Chaos and violence continue, mass deaths rock Karbala, US 'business people' can't account for weapons sent to Iraq, this weekend Texas sees a major rally against the illegal war, and more.


Starting with war resistance. The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) issued a statement in support of Iraq war resister Ehren Watada this month. Watada is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq (June 2006). In February of this year he was court-martialed and when it was obvious he stood a good chance of winning support of the jury, Judge Toilet (aka John Head) called a mistrial over defense objection. As the National Lawyers Guild president Marjorie Cohn has noted, double-jeopardy had already attached the case. Judge Toilet immediately scheduled a new court-martial -- yet another power he actually did not have which is why that March court-martial never took place. Currently, Watada's court-martial is on the October docket; however, due to the appeals process and the issues of double-jeopardy and whether or not the incompetent Judge Toilet will again be allowed to preside, Watada's attorneys have stated their belief that it is unlikely the court-martial will take place in October and, of course, the double-jeopardy issue could toss the court-martial completely (the Constitution of the United States forbids double-jeopardy).

The JACL began in 1929 and, at that time, its focus was on "the civil rights of Americans of Japanese ancestry, [but] today we are committed to protecting the rights of all segments of the Asian Pacific American community." Ben Hamamoto (Nichi Bei Times) reports that August 18th was when the JACL's "National Board voted to pass a resolution in support of the civil rights of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, the Sansei U.S. Army lieutenant who refused deployment to Iraq on the grounds that he believes the war is illegal. The vote occurred at the organization's regular board meeting at its San Francisco headquarters." Hamamoto goes on to trace the long (and overly cautious) process the JACL took en route to that resolution (including watering down the resolution) which now includes "the National JACL Board believes that all American citizens have the right to a fair and impartial trial, which includes the right to have a trial presided over by an impartial judge and to be protected from double jeopardy." The watering down process stripped key portions from the statement. Hamamoto explains, "It does not, however, offer an explicit position on whether or not Head would be an impartial judge for a retrial, whether Watada's first hearing was fair, or whether trying him again would constitute double jeopardy." A number of people worked very hard to get even that passed and they deserve congratulations for what they accomplished.

Aimee Allison and David Solnit's Army Of None notes Watada's speech at last years Veterans for Peace conference in Seattle and excerpts this part, "I speak with you about a radical idea . . . The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it . . . Those wearing the uniform must know beyond any shadow of a doubt that by refusing immoral and illegal orders they will be supported by the people not with mere words but by action . . . To support the troops who resist, you must make your voices heard. If they see thousands supporting me, they will know. I have seen this support with my own eyes . . . For me it was a leap of faith. For other soldiers, they do not have that luxury. They must know it and you must show it to them. Convince them that no matter how long they site in prison, no matter how long this country takes to right itself, their families will have a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, opportunities and education."


There is a growing movement of resistance within the US military which includes Timothy Richard, Robert Weiss, Phil McDowell, Steve Yoczik, Ross Spears, Zamesha Dominique, Jared Hood, James Burmeister, Eli Israel, Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Carla 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, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko,Brandon Hughey, 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, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, forty-one 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, Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters. Tom Joad maintains a list of known war resisters.



Back in June, Evan Knappenberger staged an eight day vigil on a tower in Washington state. He explained to Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!), ""I decided a couple of weeks ago that I needed to do something to affect a positive change in all these kind of negative things going on. I figured the best way to do that would be to draw some attention to these policies that the military is using to fight this war without actually -- you know, a war without conscription, basically. So in the middle of the night I had this great idea, just as a symbol of something kind of similar to what Operation First Casualty is, you know, to bring the war to the American people, because there is a big disconnect between the civilian population and those of us who were in Iraq. We can see -- as veterans of Iraq -- we understand kind of the way that these policies get perpetrated, and the American people need to be made aware of that. So I had this great idea to bring that home and ended up on a tower for eight days." Sunday, August 26th, began another vigil, this one in DC at the Mall on Washington where he has constructed a scaffold.

Knappenberger is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and IVAW's Adam Kokesh and Tassi McKee as well as Tina Richards and Washington Peace Center's Jay Marx are among the ones showing their support in DC. More information can be found at Tower Guard Vigil.



Kokesh will be in Fort Worth, Texas on September 1st for American People's Poll on Iraq Texas Townhall. Texans for Peace explains that "Presidential candidates, members of Congress and the world media will be in Fort Worth attending the Texas Republican Straw Poll" which makes it the perfect time for thos in the area to register their opposition to the illegal war. Along with Kokesh, also speaking will be Diane Wilson, Tina Richards, Ann Wright, and IVAW's Leonard Shetlon and CO (and Rev.) Hart Viges. A full list can be found here. Throughout the day (nine to five, this is a Saturday) there will be canvassing and straw polls, the pre-rally entertainment starts at one p.m. and the peace rally begins at 1:30 and lasts until 3:30. Fort Worth is a city in Texas, part of the Dallas and Fort Worth region known there as "DFW." Suburbs, towns and cities in the area include Denton, Plano, Arlington, Irvining, Bach Springs, Desoto, Duncanville, Lewisville, Addison, Grand Prairie and a host of others. There is a point. Texans for Peace notes that you can catch the Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth and that at 12:30 pm volunteers will be helping transport people to the rally.

Community member Diana and her family took part in the April 2006 immigrants rally in downtown Dallas that had at least a half million participants making it the largest protest in Dallas' history. She noted the traffic issue when she shared her experiences from that rally. Today, she explained over the phone that the easiest thing for people to the north, east or south of Fort Worth wanting to attend Saturday's events but unsure of how to get there is to utilize the Trinity train. She suggests grabbing a Dart Express Train and taking it to Union Station (in downtown Dallas). You can pick up the TRE there. ("It's the big, brown -- same brown as UPS uses --train that runs right next to the two light rails," says Diana.) ADDED: Dallas and Billie both note that there is also a solid white train. Billie: "Brown or white, they are real trains that look like trains, not the light rail." Texans for Peace notes that the TRE (Trinity Railway Express) runs from eight in the morning until eleven at night on Saturdays.


The book noted earlier for the Watada quote was Army of None, published by Seven Stories Press, available at Courage to Resist and many other places, which is written by Aimee Allison and David Solnit. This Thursday there will be a release celebration for the event at Club Oasis (135 12th St., btwen. Madison and Oak Sts., Oakland 6 blocks E. of Broadway/12th St. -- click here for East Bay express' map of Club Oasis' location). The event is free and open to all. The authors will be there, Jeff Paterson will have a slide show, there will be a puppet show, poets, snakcs, a dj . . . The event starts at 6:30 pm. More information can be found [Warning: MySpace page] by clicking here.

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