Winter Soldier on the Hill: War Vets Testify Before Congress

[EFerrari]

War veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan came to Capitol Hill this month to testify before Congress and give an eyewitness account about the horrors of war. Like the Winter Soldier hearings in March, when more than 200 service members gathered for four days in Silver Spring, Maryland to give their eyewitness accounts of the injustices occurring in Iraq and Afghanistan, Winter Soldier on the Hill was designed to drive home the human cost of war and occupation, this time to the very people in charge of doing something about it.

Then name “Winter Soldier” comes from a similar event in 1971, when hundreds of Vietnam vets gathered in Detroit. The term is derived from the opening line of Thomas Paine’s pamphlet The Crisis, published in 1776. "These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman,” Paine wrote.

Well, in a packed public hearing this month, the soldiers testified before a panel of lawmakers from the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Today, we spend the hour with their testimony. We begin with former Marine sniper, Sergio Kochergin, giving a firsthand, behind-the-scenes account of the initial days of the US invasion of Iraq.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/11/28/winter_soldier_on_the_hill_war


(Transcript, video, audio at link. Also airs today on Democracy Now!)

[annabanana]

1. K&R for the brave patriots who will risk all and stand up..

They are heroes.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

2. Their courage under fire continues

:patriot:

[SpiralHawk]

3. "La la la la la, we can't hear you. Smirk." - Commander AWOL & Republicon Chickenhawks

[EFerrari]

4. That's a great toon.

:)

[bigtree]

5. I don't know how anyone can listen to their stories and still feel there's ANY role for our military

. . . in Iraq.

This is essential listening.

[unhappycamper]

6. I was fortunate enough to have been on Security for the Silver Spring event.

Even better, I was working the main testimony room where I witnessed around 95% of the testimony. These young men and women were (and are) amazing.

[EFerrari]

7. They really are. So focused and clear. We owe them big. n/t

[EFerrari]

8. kick

[SpiralHawk]

9. "Don't believe the real soldiers. Believe me. Smirk." - Rush "Draft Dodger" Limbaugh (R)

"That's right, we republicon chickenhawk propagandists know a hell of a lot more about war than the men and women who actually served. Smirk."

- Rush 'Ass-Pimple Draft Dodger' Limbaugh (R - Overpaid Propaganda Whore)

[msedano]

10. Veterans in deep crud...

Thank you for posting this. I missed the headlines in my local paper, the LA Times.

Taking important testimony like this merits gavel-to-gavel coverage, not a small hearing. I suppose there are numerous media and public officials who consider vocal supporters of veterans to be kooks and oddballs.



I'm incensed that, in Los Angeles, a private group of landowners have been given land from the West LA Veterans Home. Free of charge. Our soldiers follow orders, no questions asked until later. Later comes when injured, sick, damaged veterans require care. And now land deeded "in perpetuity" to veterans health care, is sliced off the parcel with the connivance of powerful Democratic representative Henry Waxman. His response to protests? Silence. The California Democratic Party recently quashed an effort to introduce a resolution calling upon the Democratic Party to endorse rescinding the land give-away. The Democratic Party refuses even to hear debate on this shameless piece of summer soldier sunshine patriot subversion of military veterans.

Please inform yourself, then share your outrage at our elected officials' treachery with letters to your congressional representative of any party, to your local veterans organizations, with letters to your newspaper. If people bring the issue to the light of day, the Henry Waxman's of the world will be forced to abandon their privileged friends and instead of back-stabbing veterans, act on behalf of veterans.

http://www.veteranstoday.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3914

http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=8985

(BTW: The Santa Monica Mirror printed my LTTE here: http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=9043)

recommended.

mvs