Fwd: Sign this: Officer to Refuse Iraq War

[Guest guest]

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Sign this: Officer to Refuse Iraq War

 

 

 

 

Urgent Call to Support U.S. Military Officer to Refuse Illegal Iraq War

http://www.thankyoult.org

 

June 2, 2006

 

First U.S. military officer poised to publicly refuse orders in

support of the illegal Iraq War requests your immediate support and

assistance. Having already attempted to resign his commission in

protest, he now poised to refuse deployment via simultaneous,

cross-country press conferences, within days.

 

" I refuse to be silent any longer. I refuse to watch families torn apart,

while the President tells us to " stay the course. " ... I refuse to be

party to an illegal and immoral war against people who did

nothing to deserve our aggression. I wanted to be there for my fellow

troops. But the best way was not to help drop artillery and cause more

death and destruction. It is to help oppose this war and end it so that

all soldiers can come home. "

- LT*

 

A working group has formed to facilitate an unprecedented political and

legal support campaign on his behalf. Well respected civilian

legal representation has been secured. A legal and political defense fund

has been created. Many of us have already met LT* and have been moved by

his determination to help stop an unjust war.

 

We envision a broad political support campaign with this petition as our

basis of unity:

 

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THANK YOU LT for standing up for international, US and military law by

REFUSING TO DEPLOY TO IRAQ in support of the ongoing ILLEGAL war and

occupation.

 

From the preemptive invasion based on deception, to

the deaths of tens

of thousands of Iraqi civilians and nearly 2,500 U.S. troops, to the

infamous Abu Ghraib torture cells and the recent Haditha massacre, no more

evidence is required of how very WRONG this war is. In light of these

facts, we appreciate your decision to NOW follow your

conscience.

 

We agree with you LT, it is past time for US forces to leave Iraq. We

salute your true LEADERSHIP in these dark times, and believe that we can

all learn something from your COURAGE.

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(*At the press conferences " LT's " name will be made public, but we want

hundreds of messages of support, and thousands of petition

signatures before then.)

 

Time is short. We are now asking people to:

 

** Sign the petition online:

http://www.thankyoult.org

 

Or send an email with your name, title, organizational affiliation (if

any), city and state to petition

 

** Help collect personalized brief messages of support (to be used

publicly) from notable people. These can also be sent via the website, or

by email to statements

 

** Encourage your local or national organization to become an official

endorser and supporter of this effort.

 

** Distribute this call to action and petition to friends, family, and

organizational lists.

 

** Check http://www.thankyoult.org for breaking news and forthcoming

organizing materials. Add yourself to the Updates and Alerts email

bulletin (provided by Courage to Resist).

 

** Help organize nationally coordinated support actions prior to any

possible military court martial.

 

** Contribute to the legal and political defense fund. Contributions are

tax-deductible. Online credit card and PayPal donations at

http://www.thankyoult.org > donate

 

Please make check out to " Not in Our Name " and note " Thank You LT

Fund " on your check's memo line. For tax-deductible donations of $250 or

more, make check out to " Not in Our Name / Agape Foundation " . Send check

or money order to:

Thank You LT Fund, c/o Not in Our Name, 3945 Opal Street,

 

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Additional quotes from first U.S. military officer to publicly resist Iraq

War:

 

" Never in my life did I ever imagine I would have to disobey my

president. But then again, never did I imagine my president would lie to

go to war, condone torture, spy on Americans, or destroy the career of a

CIA agent for political gain. I would rather resign in protest, but the

army doesn't agree. "

 

" Mr. President, you have violated: Article I of the Constitution by

deceiving Congress, Article 2 of the U.N. Charter, U.N. Gen. Assembly Res.

3314 and the Nuremburg Tribunal Charter barring wars of

aggression, and many other international and domestic laws. As a

commissioned officer of the U.S. Armed Forces my legal and moral

obligation is to the Constitution--not to those who would issue

unlawful orders. It is my duty to refuse to fight this illegal war. "

 

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The friends and family of LT working group,

 

Clare Bayard, Catalyst Project / War Resister's League

Max Diorio, Not in Our Name / Courage to Resist

George Johnson, Veterans for Peace

Jim Harris, Courage to Resist / Tom Joad

Michael Hoffman, Campus Anti-War Network / ISO

Lori Hurlebaus, Courage to Resist / GI Rights Hotline

Nancy Mancias, Global Exchange / CodePink

Camilo Mejia, Iraq Veterans Against the War

Steve Morse, Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors

Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name / Courage to Resist

Sandra Schwartz, American Friends Service Committee

David Solnit, Courage to Resist

Bill Schwalb, Veterans for Peace

Matti Tamura, Not in Our Name

Mike Wong, Veterans for Peace

Parents of LT

 

Friends and family of LT working group

http://www.thankyoult.org

(866) 797-0967