Berkeley students put pro-war, right-wing mob on defensive

Courage to Resist. February 19, 2008

For months, the anti-war women’s group CodePink staged near-daily protests outside of a Marine recruiting station in downtown Berkeley, California. These gatherings became a part of the local landscape. However, vigil-as-usual ended when the Berkeley City Council voted to officially endorse these ongoing protests and to send a letter to the Marine recruiters asking them to leave town. Right-wing radio rallied their listeners to “punish” the city, and anti-military recruiting advocates rallied to defend the council’s actions.

Cindy Sheehan and Daniel Ellsberg joined former diplomat Army Col. Ann Wright (ret.) for a Courage to Resist event in Oakland, California on January 17, 2008. This 7:05 min. highlight video features Ann Wright discussing her new book "Dissent: Voices of Conscience - Government Insiders Speak Out Against the War in Iraq"—now available for a $20 donation. Select "Read more..." below to watch the video.

"Talk about an organization that is really helping the men and women who are in our military. They are there when these men and women take their stands of conscience," says Ann Wright of Courage to Resist.

Delegation to Canada Consulate LA

Vigils and delegations visited eight Canadian consulates across the United States January 25, 2008 to ask that the U.S. war resisters by allowed to stay in Canada. Veterans, community organizers, and others gathered in Washington DC, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis to support the troops who have refused to fight.

Demonstrators say, "Let War Resisters Stay"
Canadian Broadcast Corp. January 26, 2007

If you have not already done so, please sign the letter, "Dear Canada: Let U.S. War Resisters Stay" today. Although we delivered thousands of petitions and letters to Canadian Consulates across the country on January 25, we'll still mail this letter on your behalf via USPS International First Class mail.

Photos, reports, and audio from around the country.

CURRENT

Urgent action request—In wake of Parliament win, please sign this new letter to Canada.

By Courage to Resist. June 18, 2008

With your help, we mailed over 10,000 of the original letters to Canadian officials in support of a political resolution that would allow U.S. war resisters to stay in Canada.

On June 3rd, our efforts were rewarded when the Canadian Parliament passed an historic motion to officially welcome war resisters!

It now appears, however, that the Conservative minority government may disregard the democratic decision of the House of Commons, the demonstrated opinion of the Canadian citizenry, the view of the United Nations, and millions of Americans. War resister Corey Glass is still scheduled to be deported July 10th.

We need your help once again. Please sign a new letter to “Please act immediately to implement the resolution to allow U.S. war resisters to stay in Canada… and cease deportation proceedings against Corey Glass.” (complete letter below)

Courage to Resist volunteers will send this letter on your behalf to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley via International First Class Mail.

By Courage to Resist, 23:24 min. January 31, 2008

Pfc. Robin Long went to Canada rather than deploy to Iraq. Last October he narrowly—and temporarily —avoided being deported. Now his deportation may be imminent. Long spoke on the phone with Courage to Resist from Ontario.

By Courage to Resist, 18:58 min. January 31, 2008

Marine reservist Matt Mishler speaks about his deeply-held religious belief that killing is wrong and his efforts to be discharged from the Marines as a conscientious objector.

US war resisters gather after hearing victory in Ottawa 12/6/07. Photo: Lori Hurlebaus / Courage to Resist

By Courage to Resist. December 11, 2007

On December 6, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration of the House of Commons in Ottawa, Canada adopted a motion that was a critical victory for U.S. Iraq War resisters seeking sanctuary.

Courage to Resist organizers Lori Hurlebaus and Jeff Paterson traveled to Ottawa for this hearing, along with supporters and resisters from across Canada, and have contributed to this report. In collaboration with the Toronto, Canada-based War Resisters Support Campaign (WRSC), Courage to Resist is calling for U.S.-Canada consulate delegations, vigils, and actions on January 25-26 to build momentum in the wake of this important first victory.

By Madeline Chambers, Reuters. December 17, 2007 

BERLIN (Reuters) - A U.S. Army medic jailed for desertion after refusing to return to Iraq is on a mission to tell young Americans about the grim realities of war before they join the military.

Mexican-born combat medic Agustin Aguayo, in Germany to receive a peace award, told Reuters that U.S. Army recruitment methods were unfair as young people got a one-sided, positive picture of combat.

Soldiers in 2nd Platoon, Charlie 1-26 stage a 'mutiny' that pulls the unit apart 

By Kelly Kennedy, Army Times. December 16, 2007 

Spc. Gerry DeNardi stood at the on-base Burger King, just a few miles from downtown Baghdad, hoping for a quick taste of home.

Camp Taji encompasses miles of scrapped Iraqi tanks, a busy U.S. airstrip and thousands of soldiers living in row upon row of identical trailers. Several fast-food stands, a PX and a dining facility the size of a football field compose Taji's social hub. The base had been struck by an occasional mortar round, and a rocket had hit the airfield two weeks before and killed an American helicopter pilot.

By Courage to Resist. November 18, 2007

While home on leave in January 2007, Army Spc Kimberly Rivera made the life changing decision that she would not be returning to the Iraq War. Instead, she packed up the family car and drove to Canada with her husband and two children. She is currently one of about fifty AWOL US war resisters who are openly seeking sanctuary in Canada. This is her story.

Also now available, Courage to Resist audio interview with Kimberly. December 4, 2007

By Courage to Resist. November 18, 2007

Courage to Resist presents our new audio interview project. In launching this new feature, we bring you the voices of: Thomas “TD” Buonomo, Army officer discharged after expressing his view that Dick Cheney was a war criminal; Nathan Burden, currently AWOL, talks about his disillusionment with the Army; Brad McCall and Ryan Johnson, share their experiences that led them to seek sanctuary in Canada from the Iraq War. Listen to their stories here: www.couragetoresist.org/audio

By Courage to Resist. November 21, 2007

The weekend before Thanksgiving, members of Courage to Resist traveled to southern Arizona to participate in a protest at Ft. Huachuca. The base is the headquarters for Army intelligence where interrogation techniques are developed and taught. Three hundred anti-torture activists gathered across the street from the fort's main entrance to demand an end to the brutal and dehumanizing methods used by U.S. interrogators and the closure of the US prison at Guantanamo Bay.

On the weekend of 13-15 March, 2008 Iraq Veterans Against the War will assemble history's largest gathering of US veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Iraqi and Afghan survivors. In Washington DC they will testify to their first hand experiences and reveal the truth of occupation. They are currently seeking many types of support to make this happen, and are requesting that Iraq and Afghan veterans submit testimony and evidence.

Sgt. Brad Gaskins at Different Drummer Cafe, Watertown, NY. 11/14/07

By William Kates, Associated Press. November 14, 2007

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A soldier who served two combat tours in Iraq was arrested Wednesday for leaving the Army without permission more than a year ago to seek treatment for post traumatic stress disorder.

At a news conference hours before his arrest, Sgt. Brad Gaskins said he left the base in August 2006 because the Army wasn't providing effective treatment after he was diagnosed with PTSD and severe depression."They just don't have the resources to handle it, but that's not my fault," Gaskins said.

Tod Ensign, an attorney with Citizen Soldier, a GI rights group that is representing Gaskins, said the case is part of a "coming tsunami" of mental health problems involving Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

Lt. Watada supporters march in Seattle 10/27/07

Federal judge bars Army retrial of officer who refused Iraq War

By Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist. November 11, 2007

Civilian federal Judge Benjamin Settle blocked the Army’s plans for a second court-martial of prominent Iraq War military resister First Lieutenant Ehren Watada. Judge Settle’s preliminary ruling last Thursday found that a retrial would violate Lt. Watada’s Fifth Amendment protections against being tried for the same crime twice—known as double jeopardy.

Ruling by Judge Benjamin Settle (PDF). November 8, 2007