War critics try to mobilize troops against the war
By: ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY - Associated Press | ∞
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Anti-war groups are trying to rally active troops to speak out against the war in Iraq -- a political tactic they hope will sway voters Nov. 7.
A small group of active-duty members opposed to the war created a Web site last month intended to collect thousands of signatures of other service members. People can submit their name, rank and duty station if they support statements denouncing the U.S. invasion.
The electronic grievances are then passed along to members of Congress, according to the Web site.
"Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home," the Web site says.
Jonathan Hutto, a Navy seaman based in Norfolk, Va., who set up the Web site a month ago, said the group has collected 118 names and is trying to verify that they are legitimate service members.
There are 1.4 million troops on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserve.
Retired veterans have long waded into politics, including the 2004 presidential campaign when a group of veterans challenged Sen. John Kerry's war record. More recently, several retired military generals have called on Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to resign, contending he botched the war and put troops at risk.
Hearing publicly from active-duty troops is rare. Military laws bar officers from denouncing the president and other U.S. leaders, and regulations typically prevent service members from lobbying for a particular cause while on duty or wearing the uniform.
Legal experts who reviewed the Web site said the effort probably would not violate any rules because the site is not a personal attack on members of the administration and allows service members to quietly pass their grievance to Congress in their free time.
Backers of the Web site also cite a "whistleblower protection" law as added protection. Under the law, service members can file complaints to Congress without reprisal.
But at least two senators -- both critical of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq -- said they were concerned that service members speaking out against the president may undermine the military's apolitical status.
"We expect our soldiers to follow ... the legitimate orders of their commanders," said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who is helping lead Democratic opposition to the war this election season.
"And if you feel a course of action is inappropriate, your choice is just getting out of the service, basically, if you can and making your comments as a civilian," said Reed, a West Point graduate and former Army Ranger and paratrooper.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a reserve judge for the Air Force, said vocal complaints by active-duty members represented a "disturbing trend" that threatened to erode the cohesiveness of the military.
"We've had a long tradition making sure the military doesn't engage in political debate," said Graham, R-S.C. "We don't need a Democratic Army and a Republican Army," he added.
Hutto and supporters of his Web site said they see no problem with active-duty military personnel weighing into politics.
"We're doing this on our own time," Hutto said. Also, "We're speaking as American citizens," rather than service members.
Scott Silliman, director of Duke University's Center on Law, Ethics and National Security, said he sees the increasing political noise being made from military members -- active and retired -- as a relatively new phenomenon resulting from an increasingly unpopular war.
"Fifteen, 20 years ago you wouldn't have seen it happen," Silliman said.
Still, Silliman said, he sees little wrong with troops speaking out on their own time so long as they are not senior-ranking officers needed to carry out the president's orders. "It depends certainly on who it is" ramping up opposition to the executive branch, he said.
A Pentagon press officer did not respond to requests for comment left by telephone and e-mail.
On the Net:
Appeal for Redress Web site: http://www.appealforredress.org
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Mary wrote on Oct 24, 2006 8:08 PM:This headline implies that war critics outside of the military are behind this. A more accurate headline would be "Lone Nave Seaman Enables Active Duty Descent Against War". But thanks for bringing this to people's attention.
Harry wrote on Oct 25, 2006 8:58 AM:War critics don't need to try to mobilize anti war sentiment. The troops already think we should be out of there! A Le Moyne College/Zogby International survey shows 72% of American troops serving in Iraq think the U.S. should exit the country within the next year, and more than one in four say the troops should leave immediately. This poll was taken 8 months ago. In a rare and unusual action, 65 active duty members of the military are asking members of Congress to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring American soldiers home. These individuals have each sent what is called an "Appeal for Redress", a communication that is legally protected from any reprisal by the Military Whistle-Blower Protection Act, asking that Congress act to redeploy U.S. troops from Iraq.
Pluto wrote on Oct 25, 2006 9:19 AM:About time! I've been wondering why the troops have not spoken out like they did during the Vietnam War. Then they used mostly draftees. Is that the difference? Then again, troops didn't speak out during the early years of that war, either. In any case, a movement of soldiers could tip the scales of this war toward reality and sanity.
Ron wrote on Oct 25, 2006 11:21 AM:per Nancy Pelosi's 60 Minutes interview, Afganistan is the war we should be fighting, and not Iraq. Ok, fine. We redeploy all troops out of Iraq, and put them all into Afganistan, so we can find Bin Laden. It's funny though, you know. She never said that, in fact, no Democrats are saying that. In fact, their not even close to that. Only John Kerry has said, he wants to deploy more troops into Afganistan, another 5,000 to be exact. If Afganistan is the "correct war", then why is it, that all you hear is bring them home to the U.S.? Fighting a "smart war" per Ms. Pelosi means Afganistan, so where's her plan to redeploy into Afganistan?
Marine to Harry wrote on Oct 25, 2006 4:47 PM:Harry you still have no idea what you are talking about. Tha facts are more military, especially in Iraq are re-enlisting. So many that the services are all meeting their goals! You site 63 out 1.4 million military. In the past you have sited a few retired military people. In every company there are unhappy people but even 100 out of 1.4 million is an incredibly small percentage! The facts are you are spouting the democratic propaganda. Instead of doing that why don't you find out what is really going on! And then do what other democrats never do and provide an alternative solution to the situation. Answer me this, what about the innocent people of Iraq if me and my friends are pulled out? What is your answer? The democrats don't have an answer, they just keep saying we should pull out and that is not an answer! Get it?
Skip wrote on Oct 25, 2006 6:04 PM:I am active duty, and I think we should be spending our Federal money protecting our borders, instead of other countries borders. Bring our National Guard home and put them on the border with us and Mexico.
Harry to Marine wrote on Oct 26, 2006 7:18 AM:First, I respect and honor you as a member of the Marines. Second, I don't accept that as a well trained combatant, you have any more expertise than I about this subject. We are both doing the best we can to figure it out. Two thirds of all Americans believe it was a mistake to go into Iraq and that once in we bungled the war and that it is now time to get out. Most Iraqis also believe that the most important step to increase their security is for us to get out. The Prime Minister of Iraq hasn't told us to get out yet, but has told us that he's running the show over there and we better back off about making any demands on him. We have pretty much handed Iraq over to Iran, who used to be its natural enemy. I am not a military stratagist, but I am sure that there are many who could devise a way out. I would look to Biden, Murtha, Clark, and even Powell and others of their knowledge and background to figure out the exit stratagy. It will be hard to do--we have messed up big time and our grandchildren will suffer because of the errors we have made. "Stay the course" has cost almost 3000 American lives, many more maimed and disabled and that we have nothing to show for it. Answer me this, How many more innocent people in Iraq are you willing to kill to save them? How many more Americans are you willing to see killed to "stay this failed course?"
Goatskull to Marine wrote on Oct 26, 2006 11:19 AM:You make it sound like Democrats are anti military (please correct me if I'm wrong). You as a Marine know for a fact that there are Marines (as well as members of all the other branches)who vote Democrat.
Brian wrote on Oct 26, 2006 3:20 PM:Try to remember, in civic studies when we learned about the media. It was refered to as sensationalism. Keeping this in mind, put the media's story in perspective. I have many freinds going to and coming from Iraq. The story is always the same. Iraqi's love us and respect what we are doing. The "insurgents" and the "extremists" are creating all the problems. The rest just sells newspapers.
This is from wrote on Oct 26, 2006 4:01 PM:a German author named Broder, speaking about the invasion of Europe by the Muslims and I quote: "I have never learned to fight for my freedom. I was only good at enjoying it.” Seems like I hear that alot in the USA.
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