NUFF SAID,
ON VETERANS DAY, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE WAR
SUPPORT THE IVAW AND the HEMSTEAD 15:
OR THOSE THAT MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRAFICE WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN IN VAIN.
On Veterans Day, 15 Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan Face Trial for Antiwar Protest
Today, on Veterans Day, we turn to the voices of veterans who are speaking out about the crimes they committed and the impact of the war on their lives. Fifteen antiwar veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of disorderly conduct at a protest last month outside the final presidential debate. We speak to IVAW member Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, who refused an Iraq deployment after fighting in Afghanistan; and Aaron Glantz, an independent journalist who reported extensively from Iraq and has been covering the stories of American military veterans since his return.


Fifteen anti-war veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pled not guilty Monday to charges of disorderly conduct. The “Hempstead 15,” as they are now known, were arrested last month at an Iraq Veterans Against the War demonstration outside the final presidential debate at Hofstra University here in New York. When they attempted to cross the police line to enter the University and ask the candidates a question, the police charged the crowd with horses. Fifteen veterans were arrested and one veteran, Nick Morgan, was trampled and brought to the local hospital with a broken cheekbone. Nick Morgan addressed a crowd of supporters outside the Nassau County court house after their arraignment Monday.
Nick Morgan. Iraq Veterans Against the War members Matthis Chiroux and Nick Morgan speaking to a crowd after their arraignment Monday.
Today on Veteran’s day we turn to the voices of today’s veterans who are speaking out about the crimes they committed and the impact of the war on their lives. In March of this year hundreds of veterans and active-duty soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan gave eyewitness accounts of the atrocities committed by US troops. We played portions of the testimony for three days.
Excerpt from Winter Solder 2008. An excerpt from the Winter soldier hearings that took place this March.
Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, Served in the Army for five years and refused to deploy to Iraq earlier this year after watching the Winter Soldier testimony. Helped organize the protest outside Hofstra University and was among the fifteen who were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. He is also a member Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Aaron Glantz, Independent journalist who reported extensively from Iraq from 2003-05 and has been covering the stories of American military veterans since his return. He is the co-author of a book with Iraq Veterans Against the War called Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan: Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations. His forthcoming book is called The War Comes Home: Washington’s Battle Against America’s Veterans. He has an article up on The Nation’s website, “On Veterans Day–Don’t Forget About The War”:http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081124/
- posted by Frank @ 11:14 AM