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Anti-War Iraq Vet Aaron Hughes: "What Will End This War?" [VIDEO]

Posted by Adam Howard at 12:02 PM on August 6, 2007.


Iraq Veterans Against the War implore progressives to support the troops for real and to stop letting the politicians use them.
Anti-War Iraq Vet:

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The video to your right, is footage from a terrific panel discussion, sponsored by the Center for Media and Democracy, which I attended on the last morning of the Yearly Kos convention in Chicago, it featured Aaron Hughes and Garett Reppenhagen of the the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and Josh Lansdale a veterans coordinator from Illinois. These Iraq War veterans told story after story about themselves and fellow soldiers being pulled out of college to serve in their third rotations in Iraq, horrific post traumatic stress disorder episodes, and the anger and frustration they feel about how both the Democrats and the Republicans use them as an excuse for perpetuating failed policies in Iraq. These vets give progressive blogs tremendous credit for shifting public opinion on the war and for covering the war more honestly than the mainstream press--but it is these veterans whose voices need to be heard more consistently if the Iraq War is ever to really be brought to an end.

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Tagged as: iraq war, military, veterans, blogs, yearly kos

Adam Howard is the editor of PEEK.


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We need to do something NOW
Posted by: Susan Kipping on Aug 6, 2007 3:43 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Our veterans need us now. We need to end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan now. We are destroying our troops and innocent Iraqis. Bush is still tying in the Iraq war with 9/11. This is a lie.
Iraq never attacked us. They want us out. Our government has ruined their country. Enough torture, rape, murder, burning, bombing, wasted spending, stealing, lying and fear mongering. The senate and congress are in on this. We need to bring our troops home NOW. I am sick of stalling, debating, arguing and waiting. This war was wrong. We are wrong to let it continue a day longer. Listening to these two men was griping. They have seen terrible injustices. Bring them all home and let there be time for healing. It is over.

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sherry
Posted by: sherry on Aug 6, 2007 6:37 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The pain and frustration are painful. We have done too much damage, beginning with the years and years of sanctions against the Iraqi people. Not only do we need to bring the troops home and shut down the corporations raking in the billions over there, but we need to begin the talk about how to leave Iraq and Afghanistan with something other than destruction. We have created a humanitarian crisis and an environment ripe for the powerless to create their own brief moment of power. Let's ask these young men what we should do next ----- the Iraqi version of saving a few towns from flood.

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Thanks from an Iraqi War Vet and Active Duty Officer
Posted by: jefferybott on Aug 6, 2007 11:33 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The greatest honor is to stop the killing. We soldiers will not feel let down, nor will the effort go in vane. We need a break and allthough we will continue to do the job, we also know a battle that is not being won. I would go back in a heart beat, but it may not be for the reasons most civilians think, high morale comes in strange flavors for war vets, and you would have to be one to truly understand. Let us stop the killing, there is VALUE in that and we can focus on our lost opportunity costs.

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Easy answer!!!! When everyone gets behind the Ron Paul Revolution...
Posted by: poppop_schell on Aug 7, 2007 7:52 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
so that our congresscritters see that the grassroots REALLY MEANS IT. Take a look at what Ron Paul said at Sunday's GOP debate. Think about what courae that took. Look at how Romney responds while Ron Paul is talking. Look at Guilini.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhXc7LiPlsw

ronpaul2008.com

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check out aaron's webpage
Posted by: filhtymcnasty on Aug 7, 2007 8:01 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
http://www.aarhughes.org/
keep truckin hughes! we cannot count on electoral democracy to make the change we want. elected officials work to water down and co-opt movements. as aaron said: they will use us. we make good poster children in their campaigns. then after they win they tell us. "be patient." "we are doing what we can."
piss off! we must organize ourselves from the bottom. we will never vote ourselves to freedom and justice. it takes direct action

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EVERONE WANTS THE IRAQ WAR TO END
Posted by: bestofthebest on Aug 7, 2007 8:38 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
When we can leave Iraq a country that can govern, sustain and defend itself, our troops will come home victorious, and the war will end. It seems that this is slowly happening. If it does it will show all Americans what can be accomplished when you persevere and what a group of losers Democrats really are.

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BOYCOTT THE MILITARY
Posted by: SALLY EVANS on Aug 8, 2007 2:57 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
EVERY SOLDIER WHO BELIEVES IN AMERICA MUST NOT SHOW UP FOR DUTY TO MONEY MAKING PROFITEERS. EVERY SOLDIER STAY HOME OR GO HOME. SIMPLY WALK OUT AND AWAY FROM THE DEATH-LINED INSANITY. AND IF ANY DIEHARD REFUSES TO GO ALONG WITH THE TRUTH AND RAISES HIS WEAPON AGAINST YOU, DEFEND YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THE WEAPONS. REMEMBER IT IS GEORGE W. BUSH WHO IS A TRAITOR TO THE TRUTH AND A MASTER OF LIES. FOLLOW THE TRUTH AND BELIEVE ME, IT IS NOT IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

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» RE: BOYCOTT BY THE MILITARY Posted by: Lauren