Who else has seen the actual Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC?  I have, in DC, and the replica Vietnam Wall at the state capitol in Olympia, and the traveling Vietnam memorial replica wall - total of three times over the course of my 55 years. I know everyone who sees the wall is overcome by the sheer numbers of names engraved into the black walls.  I know my experience of visiting the Vietnam Wall in DC was a visceral experience and personal experience for me....a vigil I dreaded to undertake, for it was the first time in my lifetime that  I would see the actual real Wall.

In the most recent 'exclusive interview' with Lt. Ehren Watada, on July 12, 2006, in Seattle, WA, hear him respond to legitmate criticisms and oppositions to his decision to refuse orders to deploy to Iraq.  As an Officer of U.S. Army, he has taken his responsibility seriously to discern legal from illegal orders.  In his best judgment, he has refused to deploy to Iraq as in his consideration it is an illegal order to an  illegal war. There has been plenty of time now between June 7, 2006 when he announced his intention and decision to refuse to deploy with his Stryker brigade unit for people to weigh in with opinions to his decision. Hear for yourself, first hand, Lt. Watada respond to those criticisms.  

 

Please see Kosser Daniel's diary 'they should put us all in jail' today regarding Lt. Ehren Watada.  I don't want to rewrite what he has already written, but I know he has tried diligently to write solid diaries at DK reporting on Lt. Watada which quickly fall off the radar.  I've also written a couple of diaries with first hand accounts of my experiences as a supporting endorsing organization of Lt. Watada and those have just as quickly fallen off the radar here at DK.

So please take a moment to visit Daniel's diary today and give it a recommend. Lt Watada    story is as important and worthy a story as most being written here at DK.  Thank you Kossacks, I know you do care and this story is more getting overlooked than deliberately ignored.  

It's become beyond wearisome to observe the political soap opera drama play out day after day in an illusion of reality with consequences to politicians meaning only their own political careers.  While a harsher reality extracts the lives of human beings each and every day in a misbegotten 'wartime' reality, politicians fancy themselves playing cleverly at a game of win/lose.  What would be a win/win strategy, I wonder daily, that would 'turn the corner' to the ongoing aggression of win/lose?

A debate in Senate goes on today and I see an AP report this morning in which the blatant use of emotionally charged words are being tossed about to fuel the fires of perpetuating the win/lose political strategies.  Words like surrendering and retreat and that fear-inspiring cut and run.  If politicians are going to use the emotionally charged words of the military, then I have a few military-based words of my own to contribute.

In a second press conference Lt Ehren Watada held in Seattle, June 19, 2006, (ret) Army Colonel and Diplomat, Ann Wright, speaks in support of Lt. Watada's decision to refuse orders to deploy to Iraq as his right to disobey illegal orders.  

I posted two DK diaries herehere and here about the first press conference for Lt Watada on June 7, 2006 in Tacoma, WA.  My two diaries were rescued in the daily DK rescues here.  Now I'm reporting on his second press conference held in Seattle, WA. (I also posted this to Washblog part of Pacific Northwest netroots networking.)

NOTE: June 27 will be a national day of action in support of Lt. Watada and his refusal to deploy.  Supporters have planned events across the country, including events at Ft Lewis, WA; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Harrisburg, PA; San Francisco, CA; and Oklahoma City, OK.

more below the fold with text of  Col. Ann Wright's speech and link to video

link Thank you Lt Ehren for resisting an illegal war website

An expected reaction by U.S. Army to Lt. Watada's public statement of his intent to refuse to deploy with his unit to Iraq.  

The time to act in support of Lt Watada is now, as Stryker brigade our of Fort Lewis is scheduled to deploy to Iraq before the end of June 2006.  This is not a time to languish, rather a time to give direct support to Lt Watada's act of courage as an Officer of the U.S. Army.  

Lt Watada has said he expects and accepts there will be consequences to his public statement of illegal war / illegal orders and the Army is correct to act.  What you can do right now will unlikely influence what Lt Watada will have to face, and he expects fully to face charges and resulting punishments.

more below the fold

Reporting on press conference of Lt Ehren Watada, Tacoma, WA, June 7, 2006.  Yes, that is me in the photo, to the right of Lt Watada when he was first introduced at the 6 PM media conference.  I'm in the white Military Families Speak Out - (WA state chapter) t-shirt.  Supporters give him welcome applause.

I was there at the noon press conference, Lt Watada was prohibited by his Fort Lewis chain of command from attending the scheduled noon press conference. In his absence his statement was given  in the prepared video taped DVD.  Announcement made that Lt Watada would be available at 6 PM to answer questions if media/press wanted to return at that time.  Media/press did return, and I was there for both the noon and the 6PM press conferences.  

My report and perceptions with links to actual video of Lt Watada answering questions from the media which you can hear for yourself and form your own perceptual opinions.  He is very poised and even in expressing his thoughts and I was very impressed with this young 28 yr old Officer.  

more below the fold

I don't know if her position is evolving, but I do know she is now at least talking about her position on Iraq war. From what I am given to understand that is not something she has done these past months. I've been a participant in 2 of the 3 meetings with the Senator scheduled specifically to discuss her position on Iraq. I've now heard her first hand on two separate occasions in April and May 2006 in these meetings.

posted at Washblog, one of the feature blogs at Pacific Northwest Portal

By Lietta Ruger
Fri Mar 24, 2006

  Disclaimer:  my political allegiance lies more in supporting our troops by bringing them home (and taking care of them when they get home).  The efforts of our organization, Military Families Speak Out  (and see also Military Families Speak Out - WA state chapter are to challenge our elected officials on their position on Iraq war.  Begging off taking a position in favor of 'staying the course' in alignment with the Commander-in-Chief's position does not translate to a plan of action for our troops, their families, our country.  

  Apparantly the editorial board of Seattle PI has a definite opinion about Cantwell's war position...see article below the fold.

I was among the participants and panel speakers on the central route of the Bring Them Home Now Tour, Crawford, TX to Washington DC Sept 05.  We were asked to write our thoughts about our time on the tours.  Writing up my own reflections, I chose to share here at Kos as well.  see below the fold.

I was at Crawford that first week of Camp Casey.  I was on the Bring Them Home Now Bus tour, central tour, the past 4 weeks. I walked the halls of Congress in my shorts and tank top speaking with Senators, Representatives, aides as we did also at every stop in every city on our tour.  I was at the rally in DC on Sept 24 among the Military Families Speak Out contingent which was one of the four coalitions of the military community voice with single message; Bring The Troops Home Now, and take care of them when they get home.  

Upon my return home Monday, an urgent email request awaited my attention.  A request to share our family's experience of Stop Loss.  I responded and my letter has been circulated in a number of places I didn't expect.  I can presume then, the content of that letter resonates with many and so am posting it here as well.  

Letter below the fold;

Hi Kossacks, I wrote a brief article or ltte after the Ft Bragg speech; It's getting some play online, and I'm curious today as to how many flags will be flown at half staff across the states.   Maybe some photos also of flags at half mast in your area?

Was hoping the idea of it would catch on and be a visual today across many states. I'm sure this diary will drop away, but thought I'd give it a try anyway.

My daughter, military wife and her friends, military wives appreciated the idea and planned to fly their flags at half mast on base where they are located.

I was musing aloud yesterday with a diary at Kos, testing the waters, so to speak. I think the idea suggests itself so I decided to write the below and sent it out as ltte to publications in my state.  Sent it out to my own networking.  Time is short before July 4, so if you like the idea, please send it thru your own networking.  

It would be an amazing thing as a visual to see and I think quietly meaningful.  Thanks.

So much said about Bush speech last night, and my thoughts wouldn't be saying anything that hasn't been said.  Like many, wondering what I could possibly do today that hasn't already been done in one form or another.

Military family here, with 2 young Iraq veterans facing second deployments.  I stopped putting out the flag in the first year when it seemd that flag waving came to represent something other than what I felt as an American and a military family with loved ones deployed in combat in Iraq.

As the President encouraged us to fly our flags on July 4th, I wondered what would happen if people flew their flags at half staff across the country on July 4th?  A visual representation in support of the soldiers who have died, have suffered utter maiming and the soldiers who will die each day before July 4 arrives.  Wondering then, why wait till July 4th, start now and perhaps the idea will grow enough that by July 4th flags across the country will fly at half staff. [editor's note, by dyingwarriors] changed use of words half mast to half staff

[update] It's today folks, 1PM at same Ft Bragg where President will give his speech later tdoay. While listening to what the President has to say today in his speech at Ft Bragg; try also to listen to what military families and Iraq Veterans have to say today at press conference being held at 1PM at Ft. Bragg.  

Press releases below the fold.

   Military Families Speak Out (www.mfso.org)

   Iraq Veterans Against the War (www.ivaw.net)

   Gold Star Families for Peace (www.gsffp.org)

 and locally in my area, I'm a MFSO family.  Busy  today with coordinating for local media coverage. Military Families Speak Out, Pacific Northwest   (www.nwmfso.org)

Please help to get the word out.   Thanks!

  I didn't jump on the bandwagon with the Rove remarks but I did watch the Senate Armed Forces Committee Report on C-Span.  Made notes on the questions the esteemed Senators asked of Rumsfeld and the Generals.  See at my blog; Dying to Preserve the Lies (http://dyingwarriors.blogspot.com/)

  After each Senator carefully went on record with their absolute support for the troops and their families sacrifices, honor, and the excellent jobs they are doing,  each Senator then carefully phrased his or her questions about the status of the troops and war in Iraq. Ahh, such care to tip toe around sounding other than anything respectful about our troops in combat.

  So Karl Rove comments, I could construe as a military family with 2 loved ones, Iraq veterans, as having been most disrespectful of the 'liberal' soldier in uniform.  If my two felt the call of 911 and in part felt the sense of patriotic duty to don the uniform and they happen to be liberal; hmmmm.

   I along with my husband, are active speakers and member family of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO)  My work is done more geographically to Pacific Northwest, however, we have had one opportunity to appear on Newshour with Jim Lehrer as representative MFSO family, simultaneously representing as lay-preacher of my local church speaking out in challenge of the President's policy on Iraq war.  We have 2 loved ones in our family, now combat Iraq veterans facing 2nd deployments to Iraq.

  Point of this diary is that I have been anxiously waiting for MFSO headquarters to make their move and announcement regarding Downing Street Memo which they have now done; announcement below the fold.  

This comes to me from a colleague in England and is action being taken in Britain on the Downing Street Memo. Please read below the fold for details, and there is a petition you can sign easily and quickly.