To all Veterans for Peace:  We have thrown our full support into the demonstrations which held on April 20, 2002, in Washington D.C. against the so-called "war on terrorism". 
 

Over 100 Veterans for Peace, from Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, New England, St. Louis, Minnesota and as far away as San Francisco, gathered the morning of April 20, 2002, under the shadow of the Washington Monument in D.C., to add our voices to an estimated 75,000 people calling for an end to war and the establishment of Peace and Justice for all who suffer from economic and military aggression.

Most remarkable was the range of organizations represented; Greens, War Resistors, Pastors for Peace, Witness For Peace, Israelis working for peace and against the policies and actions of Sharon, Palestinians, also calling for an end to violence. American Friends Service Committee members marched next to members of the Black Radical Congress and the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. People of all ages came; some veterans from WWII still able to march, some needing the assistance of their grandchildren. The speakers were powerful, calling for justice, for peaceful policies, for an end to violence and control by corporate power -- the gilded fist in a military gauntlet. Our own President, David Cline, was prominent amongst them. His speech is reprinted below.

The large number of young people testified to the burgeoning awareness of succeeding generations of their responsibility to preserve democracy by exercising their right to speak out; especially against the policies now making the world they have inherited increasingly dangerous.

On the other side of the monument, another gathering of 10,000 Palestinians was taking place. When the speeches were over, we started marching, converging first with the Palestinians, then, later with the ANSWER folk and the Colombian Mobilization folk on our way to the Capitol. At one point, we filled Pennsylvania Avenue from 15^th street to 4^th street.

We were peaceful – no arrests were made. We were vocal, we were united and we established the unmistakable fact that Bush’s present policies will not go forward unchallenged.

I bring you greetings on behalf of the military veterans assembled here and many more who could not be present today but are with us in spirit. We are marching in a Veterans Contingent including members of Veterans For Peace, Vietnam Vets Against the War and the Lincoln Brigade Veterans. In our ranks are men and women who have served in Vietnam, Korea, World War II, the Persian Gulf and elsewhere.

We are here because we know the costs of war and because we know how little wars can accomplish. Our sense of duty compels us to speak out today against government’s policies, which we believe will bring more war and less freedom.

We can never forget what happened on September 11 and we still demand that those responsible be brought to justice. But we cannot support many actions taken by our government since then both abroad and here at home.

US bombs have killed more than 3000 civilians in Afghanistan, around the same number of innocent people who perished in the attacks here. Despite the use of massive military power, most Al Queda leaders are still at large. Fighting continues in Afghanistan and it remains to be seen whether the interim government there will get the international assistance needed for reconstruction or will secure democratic and human rights for the people of that war torn country.

But George W. Bush has more up his sleeve than just the military attack on Afghanistan. If he has his way, we will see endless Bush Wars. Recently US troops have been sent to Yemen, the Philippines, Georgia and who knows where else. Dick Cheney predicts that this war "may never end, at least not in our lifetime" and now Pentagon hawks are demanding that we go back to Iraq.

Several years ago Veterans For Peace started the Iraq Water Project to rebuild water treatment facilities bombed during the Gulf War and still in disrepair as a result of economic sanctions, which are harming ordinary Iraqi citizens. Two previous teams have already repaired four water facilities and we are preparing to send another team to restore two more. But while we try to help rebuild, we are witnessing our own government threatening to destroy again.

Military contractors have had a field day since 9/11. Star Wars is back, along with other costly high tech weapons systems. This year’s military budget request is for $379 billion, which is $48 billion more than last year. The increase alone is more than four times bigger than all the military spending of Bush’s "axis of evil"-Iran, Iraq and North Korea-combined. These military increases can only mean further reductions in funds needed for basic social programs including assistance to veterans of previous wars.

We cannot allow the Congressional resolution authorizing the use military force in response to 9/11 to become a blank check for the President to wage war wherever and whenever he wants. Only Congress has the authority to declare war. We must insist that our elected representatives not remain silent or surrender their Constitutional authority and we need to give encouragement and support to those who have the courage to speak the truth, like Representatives Barbara Lee, Cynthia McKinney and Dennis Kucinich.

I’m a Vietnam veteran and learned my lessons the hard way during that war. Let’s remember what happened back then. In 1964 Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution authorizing then President Lyndon Johnson to use military force. Congress never declared war but LBJ used this as his authority for continued escalation year after year. By the time Congress finally rescinded that resolution in 1970, over 53,000 Americans (of the 58,000 who died there) had already lost their lives, along with several million Vietnamese.

Here at home new repressive legislation, such as the misnamed USA PATRIOT Act, is a threat to our liberty. Privacy rights, habeas corpus and judicial review are being restricted. Arabs have been subject to racial profiling and community round ups. Some have been detained indefinitely without charges. In the name of "defending freedom" our civil liberties and democratic rights are coming under increasing attack.

I remember when we went into the Armed Forces we all had to swear an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic". Today I believe that to honor that oath, we must resist this new threat to our freedom from the White House and Attorney General’s office.

The only way to insure security and achieve peace is for countries to pursue domestic and foreign policies that are not based on corporate exploitation or military domination. Instead we need policies that foster social and economic justice, human rights, self-determination and democracy.

If there is one place where this stands out crystal clear today, it is in Palestine, which is now under brutal Israeli attack. It should be obvious that the root cause of the unrest is the continued denial of the Palestinian people’s national rights. Saying that does not mean supporting suicide bombers or denying Jewish people the right to a homeland but it does mean opposing Sharon’s criminal war.

Some Israelis are doing just that. There have been peace demonstrations and a growing number of Israeli soldiers have refused to participate. Yesh Gvul is an organization of Israeli soldiers opposed to the occupation and they report that over 1000 reservists have publicly stated they will not serve in the Palestinian territories if called up, 417 have signed the "Courage To Refuse" statement and 34 are currently being held in jails for their refusal.

Also I want to tell you about Adam Shapiro. He is an American Jew. We learned about Adam when he was part of an International Solidarity Movement group that got through the Israeli blockade and into Yassar Arafat’s besieged compound in Ramallah. Because of this, his parents who live in Brooklyn, were forced to go into hiding after receiving death threats from right wing zealots.

We contacted his family in support and than spoke to Adam in Ramallah. Because of his courageous actions for peace, we are now making him an honorary member of Veterans For Peace.

Adam asked me to read this message today:" The Palestinians need the support of the international community-if not the nations, than the people. This people’s movement will overcome the occupation and the oppression and will help enable a free and independent Palestinian state to emerge. This is the only way to achieve peace and security for all people in this region. The voice of the Palestinian people echoes in your voices joining in the struggle for freedom".

If we are opposed to terrorism, we should be consistent. It is hypocritical to oppose terrorism some places and condone it elsewhere. Yesterday was the third anniversary of the death of David Sanes Rodriguez, killed on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques by US Navy bombs. His death sparked the current popular movement to get the Navy to stop bombing there. Right now they are bombing it again and 35 people are in jail for participating in non-violent civil disobedience. The Navy has been bombing there for 60 years, destroying the people’s health and the environment. I call that military toxic terrorism. The bombing must stop and the Navy should get out now!

Let me make one last point. Dissent is not disloyalty. Let’s be clear about this since some in this country say that if you are for peace, you are "un-American". People have fought and died for your right to organize and speak your mind. Real patriotism is more than waving a flag or shouting "God Bless America." It means standing up for what is right, for what you believe is best for this country and the world. That is every American citizen’s right and duty.

During the Vietnam War, members of VVAW called ourselves "Winter Soldiers". The expression came from Thomas Paine who wrote "This is a time that tries men’s souls. The summer soldiers and sunshine patriots will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of men and women".

A Winter Soldier didn’t give up when the going got tough. We were committed for the long haul no matter what the odds. Today we again need another generation of Winter Soldiers who stand firmly for justice, for reason and for peace. So I ask all of you to embrace this spirit and know that we stand with you. It may be a long struggle to set things right but together we can overcome all difficulties. Thank you.

David Cline's Response to Brandon Brummett

Dear Brandon,

Recently you sent an email to Veterans For Peace regarding our statement “Respecting The Laws Governing Nations” and we felt your concerns were worthy of a response.

Let me thank you for bringing to our attention that we were listed on the International ANSWER web site as members of their coalition. We are not affiliated with ANSWER and have sent a letter objecting to their unauthorized use of our name.

We are part of the 9-11 Emergency National Network and the National Coalition for Peace & Justice, both of which are opposed to Bush’s “war on terrorism”. These coalitions include religious, labor, student, civil rights and other organizations, Some member groups would be considered “radical” but that is what coalitions are, organizations joining together for common objectives, although they may have differing agendas.

Regarding our statement, you raised three points so I will try to respond to them.

You say the United Nations wasn’t attacked as justification for our government failure to go to the Security Council after the terrorist attacks of September 11. The UN is not a country but it is an international body set up to deal with aggression against any member state and to respond collectively to any threat to peace. If there was ever a time for such united action, it was after September 11. People and governments throughout the world were shocked and outraged by the carnage. Our government’s failure to fulfill its responsibility under the UN Charter was a disservice because it undermined the very institution that could provide a truly just international response.

You say that the detainees at Camp X-Ray should have no rights and that Amnesty International would complain unless they were “being held in a suite in a NYC five star hotel”. AI is respected internationally (and hated by tyrants) because it has always spoken out when any people’s human rights have been violated and does not make charges unfairly. To date none of the Gunatanamo detainees have been charged with any crimes but they have not been granted prisoner of war status to avoid giving them protections of the Geneva Convention. If there is evidence, they should be charged as criminals, but if not they should be treated as POWs.

You say that since other countries may not respect the Geneva Convention, we shouldn’t be concerned either. If we do not insure humane treatment of war prisoners, how can we expect and demand that others do the same? We fear that the US precedent of failing to grant these Afghan combatants status as POWs may come back to haunt American GIs in the future.

As military veterans many of us have witnessed the brutal realities behind the euphemisms spouted on the nightly news by government officials. Today we see our country being led into increasing military conflicts abroad while our civil liberties are under attack here at home. It is our right to speak out for what is right and oppose what is wrong. This is our duty to our communities, country and world. We consider this to be real patriotism.

Dave

Brandon Brummett - Letter to Veterans for Peace

Dear Fellow Veterans,

While browsing a site for a group called International A.N.S.W.E.R.

(http://www.internationalanswer.org/) and looking at a list of supporters, I was rather surprised to see your organization listed alongside such names as the Freedom Socialist Party, Anarchist Action of Rochester and the Revolutionary Communist Party USA. At this point I felt it might be a good idea to see what my former brothers and sisters-in-arms have been up to lately.         

Abolition of war is a very worthy cause and all nations should strive to achieve such a lofty goal but, as a nation, we only have two cheeks to turn. For the sake of time, I will address several concerns I have regarding your statement titled "RESPECTING THE LAWS THAT GOVERN NATIONS".

         "We believe our government is setting a dangerous precedent by choosing to bypass and avoid compliance with the United Nations Charter, which requires member states to refer disputes threatening international peace to the UN Security Council for determination of how to deal with such threats". Bypass is a fair term. What I would like to point out is that the U.N. wasn't attacked. We were. I also take exception to the idea that our actions threaten international peace. The governments that use terrorism as a weapon almost exclusively against innocent civilians have forfeited any appearance of legitimacy.

         "Further, the United States military, subsequent to its attack on Afghanistan, has abducted hundreds of combatants, transporting them blindfolded, drugged and in chains to imprisonment at the US Navy base at Guantanamo, Cuba, where they are being treated improperly. These persons, according to Amnesty International, are being subject to illegal interrogation, while suffering the stress of close confinement, isolation in a foreign land, lack of access to legal counsel, and deliberately humiliating treatment." A.I. is a very devout organization and I believe they are only interested in seeing a fair and just world. That being said, unless these detainees were being held in a suite at a NYC five-star hotel with their lawyers, A.I. would be protesting their treatment. These are not EPW's. They are mostly terrorists. They attempted to kill as many civilians as possible. Let's not discuss their "rights". 

         "We have grave concerns, too, for the safety of our brothers and sisters serving in the US military and being put in harm’s way under these most unfavorable conditions. In the case of capture, they are likely to be subject to unrestrained, debasing treatment, in similar disregard of the Geneva Conventions." I'm pretty sure that our so called ill treatment of the detainees would not even enter the thoughts of a guard in any of the countries we are talking about. Are you suggesting that, prior to this, the governments in Somalia, Iraq or Iran would be honoring the terms of the Geneva Convention? I think history has taught us otherwise.

         In conclusion, I truly respect your mission. Your cause is just but your rhetoric sounds like those who think we "had it coming". I respectfully ask that as veterans, you reconsider your thoughts on these matters lest you find yourselves lumped in with some of the organizations whose company you apparently chose to keep.

Regards,

Brandon Brummett