WINTER SOLDIER: Why testify? To confront the truth.

[Crazy Horse]

 

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2895030

bpeale  (1000+ posts)      Wed Feb-20-08 11:57 AM
Original message
WINTER SOLDIER: Why testify? To confront the truth. 
"The original Winter Soldier was a heavy burden that brought our nightmares to the public. It was tedious, heart wrenching and liberating. We were brought up to be John Wayne and GI Joes. We were going to liberate people; instead we brought massacre and pain and chemical weapons (yes, the defoliant Agent Orange, which causes birth defects as well as cancer, was a chemical weapon). We rejected the cultural definition of what a “man” was. We pulled ourselves out of the debate. We decided that we could choose humanity or narrow nationalism. We chose humanity.

When young soldiers in the Japanese Imperial army committed the rape of Nanking and other atrocities, they either denied the incidents happened or just didn’t speak about it. But they still had the nightmares to confront. Now we see that as these men grow old they want to make amends. Unfortunately, while it is good that the truth comes out today, how much better would it have been if it had come out fifty years ago, to help ease the nightmares of the victims? A certain number of people have to testify to make this new Winter Soldier as successful as possible. This means Iraq vets have to step up, come forward, and testify. I won’t lie and say that it’s easy. But I’ll also tell you that it can help ease the nightmares and fine other comrades who will be your new brothers and sisters.”

–The above was written by Barry Romo, LT, “A” Co., 2/1, 196 L.I.B.., “C” Co., 3/4 11th Inf. Bde., Americal Division, July 1967 - July 1968. He moderated the Americal Panel and testified on the Third World Panel on Racism.
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You can contribute online at www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier, or send a check or money order made out of “IVAW” to PO Box 8296, Philadelphia, PA 19101.

OK, Duers. Time to really support our troops! If you can contribute to this event, this is a good one. If you have said you will never send another dime to a candidate, perhaps you would be willing to send it to IVAW in support of WINTER SOLDIER. I have donated & encourage all of you to donate to make it possible to feed & house these soldiers

sicksicksick_N_tired  (1000+ posts)      Wed Feb-20-08 12:19 PM
Response to Original message
1. Recommended. Our troops have been and are being improperly utilized.
 The American people were intentionally deceived into an unnecessary, aggressive war BUT the soldiers are the ones bearing the brunt of all that.

I apologize to them. I apologize to all the victims of this administration. However, I did try my best to stop this from happening and was called a 'traitor' and even advised to leave this country by my own father simply because I objected to this administration's calculated deception against our nation.

**** you traitor 

bpeale  (1000+ posts)      Wed Feb-20-08 12:33 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. and how does your father feel about the war now...5 years later? 
 almost 5,000 have now been killed. does he feel this is worth it? and worth it for who? for what? oil and George W. Bush?

as a vet myself, though not of Iraq or Afghanistan, i too apologize for their misuse ... and further apologize for the ignorance of the American people in allowing this to happen to them.

 
Did we just have 1000 casualties..................no we didn't

[formerlurker]

When young soldiers in the Japanese Imperial army committed the rape of Nanking and other atrocities, they either denied the incidents happened or just didn’t speak about it.

 

Yeah, they were really broken up about it weren't they?  Much like the Soviets were after the raped, pillaged and murdered everything in their path. 

Newsflash to the devoid of reality -- they are not Americans.  They do not think like Americans.   Aside from a scarce few, they have no remorse.   

War sucks.  War is horrendous and attrocious.  No one wants war.  War is however very necessary. 

Spend some time reading history books written by military historians for once in your spoiled life to truly understand the sacrifice others have and continue to make for your sorry ass.  Then and only then will you understand freedom and the cost to keep it.

Freakin morons.

[Bondai]

When young soldiers in the Japanese Imperial army committed the rape of Nanking and other atrocities, they either denied the incidents happened or just didn’t speak about it.

 

Yeah, they were really broken up about it weren't they?  Much like the Soviets were after the raped, pillaged and murdered everything in their path. 

Newsflash to the devoid of reality -- they are not Americans.  They do not think like Americans.   Aside from a scarce few, they have no remorse.   

War sucks.  War is horrendous and attrocious.  No one wants war.  War is however very necessary. 

Spend some time reading history books written by military historians for once in your spoiled life to truly understand the sacrifice others have and continue to make for your sorry ass.  Then and only then will you understand freedom and the cost to keep it.

Freakin morons.

DUmmies are genetically incapable of understanding anything about freedom, personal sacrifice and the military. They just aren't wired correctly.

[Carl]

When young soldiers in the Japanese Imperial army committed the rape of Nanking and other atrocities, they either denied the incidents happened or just didn’t speak about it.

 

Yeah, they were really broken up about it weren't they?  Much like the Soviets were after the raped, pillaged and murdered everything in their path. 

Newsflash to the devoid of reality -- they are not Americans.  They do not think like Americans.   Aside from a scarce few, they have no remorse.   

War sucks.  War is horrendous and attrocious.  No one wants war.  War is however very necessary. 

Spend some time reading history books written by military historians for once in your spoiled life to truly understand the sacrifice others have and continue to make for your sorry ass.  Then and only then will you understand freedom and the cost to keep it.

Freakin morons.

That is something they will NEVER do and it doesn`t go just for military history.
They might stumble acrossed something that would rupture the little compartments in their minds and start an avalanche in there that they can`t deal with.