Richard WarnickReturn of the Winter Soldiers
Some of us may be too young to remember the Winter Soldier Investigation from 1971, sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Against the War. In ten days, the second Winter Soldier investigation will convene, with testimony from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who served in those occupations, giving an accurate account of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground. Thanks to the advent of digital camcorders, this won’t be easy to watch.
These are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.
—Thomas Paine, 23 December 1776
The new Winter Soldier will be a four-day event, March 13-16 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) it will make up the largest gathering ever of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The event will be broadcast in its entirety on satellite channels, and live streaming coverage will be available at IVAW’s web site. After the hearings, all the testimonies will be entered into the Congressional Record.
Once again, we are fighting for the soul of our country. We will demonstrate our patriotism by speaking out with honor and integrity instead of blindly following failed policy. Winter Soldier is a difficult but essential service to our country.
“This is a moment when veterans won’t let anyone else speak for us,” said Aaron Hughes, an Iraq veteran who initiated the new Winter Soldier effort. “We hear from the pundits, we hear from the politicians, we hear from the generals, but we don’t hear from the soldiers who’ve walked the streets, who’ve been there and know what it’s about. We’re the ones who can bring out the cruelties and dehumanization in US foreign policy.”
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Now that your buddy down in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, is threatening war against Columbia, how are you “anti-war” people going to react? It will be interesting to see what Cindy Sheehan, Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, and their ilk have to say about this? If they are truly anti-war then we should be seeing them marching on the Venezuelan Embassy or at least on TV condemning Hugo Chavez unjustified and unprovoked actions. Their silence on the matter is speaking louder than any word they have ever uttered proving again they are not anti-war when their buddies are involved. As of yet I have to see any of the “anti war” people at Oneutah.org come out against Hugo Chavez either. So are you anti-war or what people?
To tell you the truth I am extremely disappointed in Cliff Lyon and the rest of you. I am the only one in this forum to have even brought up Hugo Chavez’ war mongering. I would have guessed by now there would be a huge thread of oneutah.org readers condemning this war of aggression. I guess oneutah.org participants are not as anti-war as they claim to be.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Quickly slapping labels on people is a way to avoid having to listen to them. In what way are combat veterans and active-duty soldiers, who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, “anti-war”? You can oppose the worst foreign policy fiasco in American history without being a pacifist or unpatriotic, that’s the point of the Winter Soldier event. Congress should be investigating how these occupations have been conducted.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Ken, Our ‘ilk’ has a mote in its eye, but finds it discomforting. Your ‘ilk’ enjoy the presence of the mote in thier eye, (even consider it a blessing) and go on with thier business as though that black distorted element were the grace of god embodied. Good luck with that. As for me, I don’t need, nor will I accept any more crap from these fools and thier fear mongering. I would advise a similar attitude adjustment in any thinking person.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Isn’t it amazing that I invited anti-war people several hours ago to condemn Hugo Chavez’ war mongering and so far not a single one that calls themselves anti-war has done it. Your silence is confirming your acceptance of Chavez’ actions.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Richard, worst foreign policy disaster? Please. Iraq doesn’t hold a candle to Vietnam, seriously… with it’s 58,000 American dead outright, and some 3.5 million Vietnamese, Laotians, killed. Don’t forget the instability that enabled the Khmer Rouge to kill their 2 million. Be serious, to call Iraq America’s worst debacle is hyperbole, though it isn’t over yet. Please respond.
For that we have the pleasure of possibly seeing a democrat congress, and maybe a democrat president to sew it up.
Hey Ken,hugo bought some serious weapons, and like all equipment, you don’t pay big money not to use it. I am wondering when silly dems and repubs will realize beyond their “hopes” for “change” how much f’in trouble we are about to be in. Iraq will be the good old days shortly. For a bumper, there is now tons of oil in Cuba. Glad I’m over 42 the maximum age for draft qualification.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
RM Warnick
Getting to the point of your article. The Winter Soldier investigation is the one that John Kerry lied under oath and slandered his fellow soldiers for his own political gain. Lies that came back to haunt him when his fellow swift boat crewman returned the favor and told the truth about the liar Kerry, thus ending his political career. Thank goodness he was never president.
The worst foriegn policy disaster was pulling out of veitnam before there was any stability thus alowing Pol Pot to kill millions after the war. Anti war activists help make that happen. Watch the Killing fields, it is the legacy of anti-war activism and will happen again but in a much larger scale and with far greater consequences to the United States and the world if we pull out of Iraq before achieving full stability.
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Yeah Ken, we did so much better with bush. The point is theses asses are all on the same team, and it isn’t ours. Kerry was the skull and bones dem flip side to the skull and bones rep bush.
Like most major screw ups, it all involves friggin’ in the riggin’. I can’t wait to see what this coming election season holds.
It is good that these sold out soldiers can support each other, because that looks to be about as good as it is going to get. I guess we’ll borrow the money to care for them, with whatever is left, after we laud the success they have had at helping bring us 4 dollar a gallon gas.
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Instead of the chorus of outraged anti-war activists protesting Hugo Chavez and his war mongering, I only hear crickets.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 pm
It’s just the echo in that cavity you’ld suggest might contain a brain but does not. Crickets indeed. Hugo did it. Kens’ testicles. If you do not know why Chavez has positioned some of his troops on the Columbian border, you could ask someone who does. I’d be curious to know myself. I hear there is a war monger about.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Caveat
I will tell you why Hugo Chavez is threatening war against Columbia. It is because Chavez supports a terrorist group called FARC, and they have been making incursions into Columbia from Ecuador. Columbia recently killed one of their terrorist leaders which pissed off Chavez. In return he is now threatening to invade Columbia. That is why Chavez is amassing tanks and troops along the Columbian border. This is what the “anti-war” left is completely ignoring.
source: Wikipedia “FARC” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_Armed_Forces_of_Colombia
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
A likely story. Clearly there can be no other side. Did Cheney let on?
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Caveat
You have got your head up your butt. Do a little research you might learn something.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
All day, you anti war people have had the opportunity to prove you really are anti war. You all failed miserably.
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Bite me!
For you bombs are a bigger turn-on than crickets. Sadly you’re not alone. We failed miserably, we didn’t curb your bitch.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:43 am
In other news, (and did I mention what a wonderful morning it is and that Hil and Obamma are sorting it out in Texas), it seems that Isreal has cracked out a little of thier own brand of Peace-making in Gaza, of course they lament the fact that civilian casualties have exceeded 50%…what’s that I hear?..Crickets from Kens’ quarters. Are we surprised? Ha! I have all day to wait for the proper response. In the mean time; any word about Saddams nukes? They are not under the presidents’ desk…that’s for sure.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:25 am
When I was in the US Army, there was universal agreement that we weren’t going to any no-win wars ever again, having learned the lessons of Vietnam. Yet here we are, and it’s worse. Instead of coming to the aid of an ally, the USA launched an illegal invasion in defiance of the UN. The strategic benefits have gone to Iran and al Qaeda.
The occupation of Iraq has been less bloody than Vietnam, so far. However, it has already cost more money, and the total cost will be about $3 trillion. Because our Army is so much smaller (10 divisions compared to 14 during Vietnam), and there isn’t a draft, Iraq has crippled our national defense. Iraq has gone a long way toward turning the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims against the USA, not to mention our European allies. We are ignoring other foreign policy priorities, including the war against al Qaeda (which we’re losing). The Iraq fiasco has driven up the price of oil from $36 to $102, so far, with worldwide economic effects.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Ken:
I don’t know enough about Hugo Chavez to even comment, but I do know he outsmarted our dictator and his ilk.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
[...] Winter Soldier II will take place March 13-16. Here are some excerpts from more soldiers’ stories. Credit to jimstaro on VetVoice. [...]
March 15th, 2008 at 10:47 am
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