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Top Stories from War on Iraq at AlterNet
September 5th, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq
___________________________________________________________
>From the editors:
While most coverage of the dissent at the Republican National Convention in St.
Paul this week focused on a handful of violent protesters -- and hundreds of
arrests by Minnesota police -- one of the major untold stories of the RNC was
the number of veterans who came to peacefully protest the war in Iraq, and with
it, fellow veteran John McCain. At a series of rallies and marches, Vietnam,
Iraq, and Afghanistan vets alike called on the Republicans to stop sending
soldiers to die and to start taking care of returning veterans.
On what was supposed to be day one of the convention, IVAW members sent a
representative, retired Army First Seargant Wes Davey, to try to meet with the
McCain campaign, to urge the senator to support full health benefits for
returning vets. Davey carried a letter laying out their demands, but he didn't
make it very far. He was escorted off the premises.
McCain's callous refusal to acknowledge IVAW comes at a time when the media is
reporting veteran suicides to be outpacing last year's record-breaking levels:
Yesterday, Army officials said that soldiers suicides this year "could surpass
the record rate of last year." There were 62 confirmed suicides among active
duty soldiers and Guard and Reserve troops as of the end of last month, with
another 31 suspected to be suicides but still under investigation. If those 31
are confirmed, "the number for 2008 could eclipse the 115 last year -- and the
rate per 100,000 could surpass that of the civilian population."
As one IVAW member told me, "I've seen a lot of my friends come home who aren't
getting their needs met ... It's just gotten to the point where some people are
so frustrated, it's impairing their life. They can't lead a normal life."
Read this piece by Joshua Kors to learn how the VA is still abandoning
veterans. Visit AlterNet's War on Iraq section in the coming days for more on
veterans' fight against the war and for the benefits they are entitled to.
Thanks for reading,
Liliana Segura
Editor, War on Iraq Special Coverage
___________________________________________________________
THE VA CONTINUES TO ABANDON RETURNING VETS
By Joshua Kors, The Nation
"Supporting the troops" only applies until they actually
come home from war.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/97284/
IN THE SHADOW OF THE RNC, WAR RESISTERS CONVENE TO STOP THE WAR
By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
At the Veterans for Peace conference, IVAW member Harvey
Tharp discusses the war, the election, and why he resigned
in protest over the war.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/97115/
STANDOFF WITH POLICE AS IRAQ VETS DEMAND TO MEET WITH OBAMA CAMPAIGN
By Alex Kane, Jessica Lee, Indypendent
With no reply from Obama to their letter asking him to
endorse their goals, IVAW marched to the Pepsi Center to
demand that their voices be heard.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/96826/
SPINNING IRAQ FOR A GOP VICTORY
By Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK
With an eye on the presidential election, the White House is
working to create the impression that the war is ripe for
U.S. victory.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/97511/
HOW THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION UNDERESTIMATED NOURI AL-MALIKI
By Gareth Porter, IPS News
Signs that the Iraqi PM's stance on U.S. withdrawal is
hardening is undermining Bush's plan for indefinite
occupation.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/97342/
U.S. FORCES TO HAND OVER ANBAR PROVINCE TO IRAQIS
Middle East Online
Citing stronger domestic security forces and a need for
troops in Afghanistan, a U.S. general says control will be
handed over in "just a few days."
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/96916/
SADR ANNOUNCES SUSPENSION OF MAHDI ARMY "INDEFINITELY"
Middle East Online
The powerful Shiite cleric, who first announced a ceasefire
last summer, says the Mahdi Army will carry out cultural
activities instead.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/96899/
THE DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES OF RECRUITING NAZIS TO SERVE IN IRAQ
By David Holthouse, Hate Watch
The U.S. military appears to be teaching a skinhead with
genocide on his mind how to become a tactical bomb maker.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/96959/
___________________________________________________________
AlterNet Blogs:
U.S. TROOPS KILL SIX IRAQI SECURITY FORCES
By Staff, Middle East Online
The military says it was a case of "mistaken fire."
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/waroniraq/97555/
ABU GHRAIB'S TORTURE MUSEUM = PURE PROPAGANDA
By Fatih Abdulsalam, Azzaman
The Iraqi government's plan to reopen Abu Ghraib, including
a museum of crimes committed under Saddam is revisionist
history.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/97540/
VETS FOR PEACE DEMONSTRATE AGAINST FELLOW VETERAN JOHN MCCAIN
By Jeremy Scahill, Democracy Now!
On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Vietnam
veterans protested the war in Iraq and spoke out against
"war hero" John McCain.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/waroniraq/97219/
DUTCH INTELLIGENCE: U.S. STRIKE ON IRAN LIKELY 'WITHIN WEEKS'
By Joshua Holland, AlterNet
Intelligence agency shared info on potential targets with
the CIA.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/waroniraq/97278/
___________________________________________________________
These stories and more are available on in War on Iraq
on AlterNet.
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq
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