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Iraq Trip Report Back: Humbling a Different Kind of Rolling Thunder: VVAW's West Coast Tour

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Iraq Trip Report Back: Humbling a Different Kind of Rolling Thunder: VVAW's West Coast Tour THE VETERAN Vietnam Veterans Against the War Volume 39, Number 1 Spring 2009 Iraq Trip Report Back: Humbling AARON HUGHES Thank you VVAW and US Labor Anxious truck driver, but never north of ence this is why Erbil was chosen Against the War for your generous Anxiety sits in my throat and in Kirkuk. Now, I was an hour north to host the conference. He said it contribution to help make IVAW's my heart of Kirkuk in Erbil and despite its was extremely important to have presence at the first International Such a beautiful opportunity similar landscape to other parts the conference in Erbil so workers Labor Conference in Erbil, Iraq Such a beautiful dream of Iraq, it clearly felt different. It from more volatile areas of Iraq a reality. To sit and have tea with the had a calm that did not carry the could have a space to let down their Humbling is the most impor- Iraqis same uneasiness I had remem- guard and feel a sense of security. tant word that I can use to describe I am so honored to be here bered. According to Samir Adil He continued the thought noting, my recent travels back to Iraq. As On this trip from the Iraq Freedom Congress there is so much fear and anxiety I think of how to share this experi- Flying into the night and organizing committee of the ence with my fellow veterans this Into the darkness of the un- First International Labor Confer- continued on page 13 word comes to the front of my known mind and silences my thoughts. Where one spark of light will light Humbling. up the whole... I start writing this report with caution and awareness that There was tightness in my shoul- I can never fully understand or ders when we landed. It was express the complexities, pains something in the familiarity of the and hopes of the Iraqi people, but landscape. The dust was the same with confidence that I can share gray white that I remembered. It the compassion and love that was washed away the bright colors. expressed by the Iraqis despite our The cabs were the same, white contribution to their oppression. It with faded orange side panels, had been well over four years since and they crowded the roads mak- I last set foot in Iraq, a country that ing the streets hum. The roadside changed my life by awakening me stands were the same as the ones to my own hypocrisies and ability I had seen years earlier, but this to dehumanize "others." As the time they lined the roads of the plane flew east into the night sky northern Iraq. I wrote: In 2003 and 2004 I traveled On my way back to Iraq throughout much of Iraq as an 88M TJ Buonomo and Aaron Hughes in Iraq A Different Kind of Rolling Thunder: VVAW's West Coast Tour HORACE COLEMAN This was no reunion tour. the Afghanistan war, another item the financial costs of war invisible. that electrocuted troops in shower VVAW rolled through coastal on Obama's overloaded plate. In Banning photos of flag draped rooms, built dilapidated facili- California five deep. a rump session led by Ruhman, coffins covered up the ultimate ties Iraqis refused to use and let In Long Beach, National Co- goals, cooperation, coordination, cost while wounded warriors were Blackwater operatives act like ordinators Barry Romo and Marty tactics and techniques were dis- housed in moldy rooms at Walter Blackwater operatives. Webster, joined by Willie Hager, cussed. Reed hospital. Poorly supervised George Johnson and Jan Ruhman "Patriots" today wave the no bid contractors produced work continued on page 12 were hosted by Pat Alviso and Jeff flag while doing little else, ap- Merrick, from the local MFSO plaud themselves while failing Non Profit ORG chapter. Jack Finley,VFP chapter veterans. This makes the people US Postage president, photographed the event who do positive things more im- Paid and arranged videotaping. Webster portant: pilots who reunite military Permit 880 and Romo spoke to an enthusiastic members recuperating from war Champaign, IL crowd. A lively Q&A session with injuries with their families, groups the five followed. that aid homeless vets, have stand- PO Box 408594 There were also events in downs, help military families, and Chicago, IL 60640 Berkeley (the musical group hold camps where the children www.vvaw.org Johnson's part of, Annie and the of deployed or KIA parents can [email protected] Vets, and Country Joe McDonald decompress. performed), San Francisco (An- Having a professional Army nie and the Vets performed) and pleased the general public, and Camarillo. caused multiple tours in the war In San Diego, Webster talked zone, high PTSD and suicide about organizing and Romo about rates. Having no war taxes kept 2 THE VETERAN Spring 2009 National Coordinator Notes BARRY ROMO First many thanks to the people four sentences together in to that the real victims were the people like Jack McCloskey in on the West Coast, VVAW, VFP, a paragraph," in. I have been Vietnamese, Cambodians and Haight-Ashbury and Dave Curry MFSO and IVAW from Seattle, involved with civil rights, justice Laotians. Buried bombs and mines in Alabama. We have to revive the San Francisco Bay Area and and peace for almost 40 years and still cripple some but even more that spirit. San Diego whose generosity and it is such a treat having this person hideous; children are still being In Iraq, we should demand hard work made our trip possible. in office. In the Bay Area one of born with birth defects because that our legislators help remove Our whirlwind tour down the coast our long time members, Chukia of defoliation after more than 40 the only laws leftover from the covered 5 cities and hundreds of Lawton, a community organizer years. VVAW along with other Saddam Hussein regime. One of miles. With lively debate, great for 50 years and widow of Gary vets groups was able to sue. The our good friends Aaron Hughes music and late night sessions we Lawton, thought Obama's victory Vietnamese were never given this just returned from a US labor trip managed to hammer out some was a culmination of their work. right and the US military has never to Iraq where he met with regional details of our future work. At Unfortunately a number of friends shared scientific information that trade unionists. They told him that one event where 5 VVAW people just can't seem to be happy. It's could help. We must do more unions were banned in Iraq: not spoke, Jan Ruhman pointed out to like they don't know a good thing than picket or demonstrate. We allowed to organize or negotiate. the crowd that we had 4 different when they see it. I admit all of have to get legislation to allow It seems to me that VVAW can positions and that that was the them are white but for god's sake basic compensation for this play an important role. We have great thing about VVAW that you be happy. Maybe we are lucky deliberate chemical poisoning. to do more than just protest but could have different opinions and here in Chicago. One of our great We are working with some must really organize and apply still remain together. This happens friends and reformers Mayor congresspersons on this issue. pressure for the repeal of these when you have programs for Harold Washington, allowed us This will be harder than anti-labor laws. change and not just fights over a preview of what progressive our PTSD and Agent Orange Finally I think that VVAW in intellectual purity. politics in power could be. struggles. It means justice. We owe every area has to help IVAW at this One thing for sure, everyone Wars "end" but the casualties a blood debt to the Vietnamese critical juncture. I don't mean just is glad to see Bush gone and continue. VVAW could not forget people and we have to offer more telling stories about the good old Obama, a man about whom one this with friends dying before than sympathy or anger. In the days or giving speeches. But by person said "It is a pleasure to their time from Agent Orange 70's VVAW and no other veterans helping them raise funds, setting have a president that can put and PTSD. We haven't forgotten group, in conjunction with a decent up speaking gigs, passsing out President got PTSD recognized literature, etc. Go to ivaw.org to Editorial Collective as a service connected disability find out more. Barry Romo Joe Miller and got vets outreach centers Charlie Branson Ellie Shunas established to help deal with it. Jeff Machota Bill Branson Almost a 100 VVAW people BARRY ROMO IS ONE OF EIGHT went to work at the vet's centers; VVAW NATIONAL COORDINATORS. Thanks to Jeff Danziger and Billy Curmano for their cartoons. Thanks to Aaron Davis, Horace Coleman, Ward Reilly, Bob Gronko, Carol Trainer, Bill Branson, Hans Buwalda, Brooke Anderson, Steve Crandall, Aaron Hughes, Willie Hager, Bud Korotzer, Sandy Fulton, Suki Wachtendonk, Annie Bailey, Zoltan Grossman, Richie Manson and others for contributing photos. VVAW Merchandise • VVAW T-Shirt (M, L, XL, XXL) - $12.00 _______ choose color (black, white, sand) black shirt, choose logo color (black and white, color) • VVAW 40th T-Shirt (M, L, XL, XXL) _______ olive, 2-sided w/logo on front - $10.00 • VVAW Hat - $12.00 _______ • Winter Soldier DVD - $24.95 _______ • Winter Soldiers book - $12.00 _______ • Shipping for above items $5.00 for first item, $2.00 for each item after _______ • VVAW Embroidered Patch - $5.00 _______ • VVAW Button - $1.00 _______ • VVAW Enamel Pin - $3.00 _______ • VVAW Bumper Sticker - $2.00 _______ • Shipping for above items $2.00 for first item _______ • VVAW Grey Crewneck Sweatshirt (M, L, XL, XXL) - $20.00 _______ • VVAW Grey Hoooded Sweatshirt (M, L, XL, XXL) - $25.00 _______ Mail order and check to: • VVAW 3' x 5' Nylon Flag - $35.00 _______ VVAW Merchandise • Shipping for above items PO Box 070391 $8.00 for first item, $4.00 for each item after _______ Milwaukee, WI 53207 Ship to: Total Enclosed _______ Name _______________________________ Address _____________________________ City, State, Zip _______________________ Spring 2009 THE VETERAN 3 Fraggin' BILL SHUNAS To the best of my recollection this of those jobs are now in some empire turned it into a country that edly turned the tide and greatly past November is the first time other country.
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