02 Dec 2016
environment, Native American Vets, News, Protecting Natural Resources No Comments Permalink

BE A PART OF HISTORY AT STANDING ROCK AND SUPPORT IVAW

December 2, 2016 No Comments

I am writing to you tonight from inside my tent at Oceti Sakowin resistance camp. A week ago, I traveled here with a delegation of Iraq Veterans Against the War members to support the Standing Rock Sioux’s fight for Indigenous sovereignty against extractive industry and in the face of militarized police.

After we arrived, we heard about the group of veterans who put out a call for a mobilization on December 4th, and several of us decided that we would stay. While we are hearing different reports on numbers, but it’s likely that over 1,000 veterans are traveling to peacefully protest the pipeline. This is a historic moment in a historic fight and we need to be here.

I arrived thinking I would stay for the week. I did not expect that I would find a deep need to stay longer. I had no idea that thousands of other veterans would be coming. We have a critical role to play in this mobilization. Many of these veterans have not participated in peaceful, non-violent actions like IVAW has for the last decade. These veterans need to be trained and oriented. IVAW, with Veterans For Peace and the Indigenous People’s Power Project (IP3), is on the ground to facilitate these trainings and connections.

You can be part of this historic fight. We count on supporters like you to ensure that our veterans have enough food, fuel, and shelter to contribute to stopping the Dakota Access Pipeline. I have to be honest with you: tensions are rising. The Army Corps of Engineers has asked the Oceti Sakowin camp to voluntarily leave and the Governor of North Dakota has issued an emergency order to evacuate. The Seven Council Fires leadership is organizing to stay and we, as veterans, can help de-escalate situations and help people remain peaceful and prayerful in actions. Native veterans have taken heroic leadership to confront the United States and demand that it honor the treaties.

WE NEED YOU TODAY – DONATE
http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5966/donate_page/ivaw-donate

http://www.ivaw.org/blog/ivaw-tells-army-corps-engineers-stand-down-standing-rock

02 Dec 2016
environment, For Veterans, Native American Vets, News, Protecting Natural Resources No Comments Permalink

Veterans For Peace at Standing Rock

December 2, 2016 No Comments

12.3.16
Veterans For Standing Rock Have Arrived — Update

Members of Veterans For Peace have joined in solidarity with thousands of people who have traveled to Standing Rock, North Dakota to stand with our Indigenous sisters and brothers in opposing the construction of an oil pipeline by the Dakota Access company that threatens drinking water and sacred burial grounds. Veterans For Peace will continue to support this effort. As veterans, we see the connections between greed, racism, violence and environmental destruction in our own communities, and war and militarism abroad. We strive to achieve “Peace at Home and Peace Abroad” as a lens through which we view our mission.

We believe the Standing Rock action is consistent with our philosophy and approach to help build a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. Read our full statement supporting Standing Rock resistance and our Thanksgiving statement.

Read More: http://www.veteransforpeace.org/take-action/veterans-peace-standing-rock/

Upcoming Veterans Mobilization at Standing Rock
Veterans For Peace members are joining the upcoming “Veterans Stand For Standing Rock” mobilization happening December 4th -7th. Many of our members will stand together with veterans from all over the U.S. who are converging to Standing Rock in support of the Native-led non-violent resistance to stop the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).
This action is not organized or sponsored by Veterans For Peace but many members are on their way to support the call to veterans to mobilize in support of Standing Rock.  Veterans For Peace supports any solidarity efforts towards the indigenous resistance at Standing Rock.

Get Details: http://www.veteransforpeace.org/take-action/veterans-peace-standing-rock/

02 Dec 2016
Depleted Uranium, News No Comments Permalink

Pentagon: Come Clean on Use of Depleted Uranium Weapons in Syria

December 2, 2016 No Comments

Urge President Obama & Congress to clarify when the U.S. has used depleted
uranium weapons in Syria and what U.S. policy is.

Take Action
PETITION http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/pentagon-come-clean-on?r_by=1135580

The U.S. military ignored its own guidelines for the use of depleted uranium
ammunition in the 2003 Iraq War, firing the controversial weapons at unarmored targets, buildings in populated areas and troops.

The use of depleted uranium in munitions is controversial because of concerns about potential long-term health effects. A 2005 review concluded that human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of birth defects in the
children of people exposed to depleted uranium.

Read More: http://www.fourwinds10.net/siterun_data/environment/humans/nuclear_du_radiation/news.php?q=1477495995

24 Nov 2016
Actions & Marches, environment, Veterans Speak Out No Comments Permalink

Veterans Plan Deployment” to Join Water Protectors

November 24, 2016 No Comments

“If we’re going to be heroes, if we’re really going to be those veterans that this country praises, well, then we need to do the things that we actually said we’re going to do when we took the oath to defend the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic.”
—Michael Wood Jr., Veterans Stand for Standing Rock

Read Common Dreams Article

28 Oct 2016
Costs of War, Protests, Veterans For Peace National Organization No Comments Permalink

Women’s Boat to Gaza: Activists Detained by Israel, Weeks After U.S. OKs billions in Military Aid

October 28, 2016 No Comments

Interview with Ann Wright

A flotilla bound for Gaza carrying food, medicine and other humanitarian aid was intercepted and seized last week by the Israeli Navy. The Women’s Boat to Gaza had set sail from the Spanish port city of Barcelona in mid-September in efforts to break the ongoing Israeli blockade. Organizers say the Israeli military seized the boat and detained the 13 human rights activists aboard in international waters about 40 miles away from Gaza’s shore. The Israeli military towed the boat to the Israeli port of Ashdod and detained the women for up to four days before deporting them. We speak to passenger Ann Wright, retired Army colonel and former U.S. diplomat.

Read Transcript: http://www.democracynow.org/2016/10/12/womens_boat_to_gaza_13_activists

Ann Wright’s recent article: http://www.alternet.org/world/israel-imposed-darkness-gaza