COURAGE TO RESIST Supporting the troops who refuse to  ght!

www.couragetoresist.org 484 Lake Park Ave #41, Oakland CA 94610 510-488-3559 August 2014 National Newsletter facebook.com/couragetoresist “The Fog Machine of War” Chelsea Manning on the US Military and Media Freedom, as published by the New York Times By Chelsea Manning, former US Army secrecy make it impossible for Americans intelligence analyst. June 14, 2014 to grasp fully what is happening in the When I chose to disclose classifi ed wars we fi nance. information in 2010, I did so out of a love If you were following the news for my country and a sense of duty to during the March 2010 elections in Iraq, Supporter of al-Maliki with a poster depicting others. I’m now serving a sentence of 35 you might remember that the American inked fi ngers being hanged. Photo printed by the years in prison for these unauthorized press was fl ooded with stories declaring NYT’s alongside Chelsea Manning’s Op-Ed. disclosures. I understand that my actions the elections a success, complete with violated the law. upbeat anecdotes and photographs of crackdown against political dissidents by However, the concerns that Iraqi women proudly displaying their the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and federal motivated me have not been resolved. As ink-stained fi ngers. The subtext was police, on behalf of Prime Minister Nuri Iraq erupts in civil war and America again that United States military operations Kamal al-Maliki. Detainees were often contemplates intervention, that unfi nished had succeeded in creating a stable and tortured, or even killed. business should give new urgency to the democratic Iraq. Early that year, I received orders question of how the United States military Those of us stationed there were to investigate 15 individuals whom the controlled the media coverage of its long acutely aware of a more complicated federal police had arrested on suspicion involvement there and in Afghanistan. I reality. of printing “anti-Iraqi literature.” I learned believe that the current limits on press Military and diplomatic reports that these individuals had absolutely no freedom and excessive government coming across my desk detailed a brutal ties to terrorism; they were publishing a scholarly critique of Mr. Maliki’s administration. I forwarded this fi nding to the offi cer in command in eastern Our new call to resist illegal war Baghdad. He responded that he didn’t need this information; instead, I should and illegitimate authority assist the federal police in locating more “anti-Iraqi” print shops. By Courage to Resist. July 3, 2014 I was shocked by our military’s Courage to Resist calls on all complicity in the corruption of that United States military personnel to resist election. Yet these deeply troubling details any effort to pursue a new military attack fl ew under the American media’s radar. on Iraq via troops, bombs, drones or any It was not the fi rst (or the last) other means. In keeping with our Mission time I felt compelled to question the Statement, we affi rm that just as there way we conducted our mission in Iraq. was never any legitimate reason for the We intelligence analysts, and the offi cers US to send military forces to Iraq in the to whom we reported, had access to a past, there is not now any reason for the comprehensive overview of the war that US to participate militarily in the affairs of Troops, bullets, bombs, mines, and other few others had. How could top-level the people of Iraq. The refugees created weapons will continue to kill, maim, and decision makers say that the American every day by the wars in Iraq need breed hatred in the people of Iraq. More public, or even Congress, supported the humanitarian aid. The solution to the warfare cannot do anything positive for confl ict when they didn’t have half the problems in Iraq lies in the nations and the men, women, and children of Iraq. story? parties involved talking it out. Every US service person has a Among the many daily reports The US destroyed Iraq. Sending conscience. Every member of every I received via email while working in US troops and/or weapons again cannot branch of the US military service is bound Iraq in 2009 and 2010 was an internal improve the situation. It can only cause to obey that conscience, and the oath public affairs briefi ng that listed recently more unnecessary death and destruction. continued on back continued on inside “The fog machine of war” by Chelsea Manning cont. published news articles about the American mission in Iraq. One of my regular tasks was to provide, for the public affairs summary read by the command in eastern Baghdad, a single- sentence description of each issue covered, complementing our analysis with local intelligence. The more I made these daily comparisons between the news back in the States and the military and diplomatic reports available to me as an analyst, the Hundreds marched on behalf of Manning in LGBT events around the world in June. Cities with parade more aware I became of the disparity. In contingents included: San Francisco (photos above & below), NYC, Seattle, Twin Cities, Oklahoma City, contrast to the solid, nuanced briefi ngs we London (UK), Dublin (Ireland). Manning was the offi cial Honorary Grand Marshal of SF PRIDE 2014! created on the ground, the news available to the public was fl ooded with foggy Less well known is that journalists there was no constitutionally protected speculation and simplifi cations. whom military contractors rate as right to be an embedded journalist. One clue to this disjunction lay likely to produce “favorable” coverage, The embedded reporter program, in the public affairs reports. Near the based on their past reporting, also get which continues in Afghanistan and top of each briefi ng was the number preference. This outsourced “favorability” wherever the United States sends troops, of embedded journalists attached to rating assigned to is deeply informed American military units in a combat each applicant is by the military’s zone. Throughout my deployment, I used to screen out experience of how never saw that tally go above 12. In other those judged likely media coverage shifted words, in all of Iraq, which contained 31 to produce critical public opinion during million people and 117,000 United States coverage. the Vietnam War. The troops, no more than a dozen American Reporters who gatekeepers in public journalists were covering military succeeded in obtaining affairs have too much operations. embed status in Iraq power: Reporters The process of limiting press access were then required to naturally fear having to a confl ict begins when a reporter sign a media “ground their access terminated, applies for embed status. All reporters rules” agreement. so they tend to avoid are carefully vetted by military public Army public affairs controversial reporting affairs offi cials. This system is far from offi cials said this was that could raise red unbiased. Unsurprisingly, reporters who to protect operational fl ags. have established relationships with the security, but it also The existing military are more likely to be granted access. allowed them to terminate a reporter’s program forces journalists to compete embed without appeal. against one another for “special access” There have been numerous to vital matters of foreign and domestic cases of reporters’ having their access policy. Too often, this creates reporting terminated following controversial that fl atters senior decision makers. A reporting. In 2010, the late Rolling Stone result is that the American public’s access reporter Michael Hastings had his access to the facts is gutted, which leaves them pulled after reporting criticism of the with no way to evaluate the conduct of Obama administration by Gen. Stanley A American offi cials. McChrystal and his staff in Afghanistan. A Journalists have an important Pentagon spokesman said, “Embeds are a role to play in calling for reforms to the privilege, not a right.” embedding system. The favorability of If a reporter’s embed status a journalist’s previous reporting should is terminated, typically she or he is not be a factor. Transparency, guaranteed blacklisted. This program of limiting press by a body not under the control of access was challenged in court in 2013 public affairs offi cials, should govern the by a freelance reporter, Wayne Anderson, credentialing process. An independent who claimed to have followed his board made up of military staff members, agreement but to have been terminated veterans, Pentagon civilians and journalists after publishing adverse reports about the could balance the public’s need for How Chelsea Manning sees herself. By Alicia Neal, confl ict in Afghanistan. The ruling on his information with the military’s need for in cooperation with Chelsea herself, commissioned case upheld the military’s position that by the Chelsea Manning Support Network. continued on back Veterans welcome home Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl By Gerry Condon, on behalf of Veterans disappointed that the president has for Peace, at the National Press Club and continued the aggressive foreign policies The White House. June 10, 2014 of the Bush Administration. But today we Five more US soldiers were killed can thank President Obama for a couple in Afghanistan yesterday. They were killed steps in the right direction. by a NATO airstrike, so-called “friendly President Obama did the right thing fi re.” Who is to blame for these deaths? when he brought home a US prisoner of Certainly not Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who did war from Afghanistan. not order US troops into an endless and President Obama did the right thing pointless war in Afghanistan. when he released fi ve Afghan prisoners of Veterans For Peace has had few war from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo. opportunities to applaud the actions of But President Obama did the wrong President Obama. We are profoundly thing when he decided that US troops will remain in Afghanistan for another 2-1/2 Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl prior to being catured and years, and then some. The deaths of fi ve held for fi ve years by the Taliban. He was the only US soldiers, yesterday, is the kind of bad American POW. Right wing fanatics have waged a news we can expect, as long as US troops vile attack on his character since he was freed as are in harm’s way. part of a prisoner swap. As Vietnam veteran John Kerry once famously said, “How do we ask Mr. President, I am speaking for a man to be the last man to die for a thousands of veterans from too many mistake.” wars. We want you to bring ALL the Veterans For Peace wants to speak troops home from Afghanistan! Bring directly to Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl: them home now, and take good care of We love you, Sgt. Bergdahl. We have them when they get here. great respect for you and your wonderful And Mr. President, it is time to family. We are happy that you will be release all the prisoners of war from reunited soon! Guantanamo. End the torture, shut down Veterans For Peace also has a Guantanamo now! message for President Obama: The American people are tired of war. We are ready to live in peace.

GI Resister André Shepherd at European Court of Justice By Connection e.V. June 10, 2014 which is intended to protect those who 37-year-old André Shepherd refuse to participate in a war or other (photo right) was deployed to Iraq for activities that violate international law, six months as an Apache helicopter and who may expect persecution as a mechanic. After returning from leave to consequence. his unit, stationed in Katterbach, Bavaria, André’s lawyer Reinhard Marx he seriously deliberated the effects of US noted that this is the fi rst AWOL US military action on the civilian population soldier to be heard by the highest in Iraq. After some time, he went AWOL European court. and sought refuge in Germany. He based “It is good to see that there is his application for political asylum on the progress in the case”, noted André European Union Qualifi cation Directive, Shepherd. “We hope that the European Court not only has the will, but the courage to take a stand for the right to Legacy giving freedom of conscience. Other soldiers As you are making out your will, should feel assured that their decision, please consider a bequest to the to refuse participation in wars or crimes, “Alliance for Global Justice project in violation of international law, will be Courage to Resist”, 484 Lake Park supported.” Ave #41, Oakland CA 94610. For A decision by the European Court more information about bequest is expected in 2015. A lower court language in your estate plans, please will then rule, based on that verdict, on give us a call at 510-488-3559. André’s asylum application. Our new call to resist illegal war cont. s/he took to defend the Constitution Service members we have had the of the United States of America. The honor of collaborating with include: Constitution binds the US to honor • Army Lt. Ehren Watada, the fi rst its international agreements. All US military offi cer to articulate the presidents, in this century, have broken illegal nature of the Iraq War and the law of the land as well as international refuse orders to deploy. laws and treaties with the illegal use of war powers. Sending US troops to Iraq • Marine L/Cpl Stephen Funk, the fi rst was, and would be again, in violation of military service member to publicly numerous international laws and treaties refuse to deploy. as well as a violation of US war-making • Scores of service members who powers. And it certainly would not be in have formally applied for discharge defense of the United States. US citizens as Conscientious Objectors. do not support a return of the US military to Iraq. • Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airperson, Airpersons who have taken refuge you are strong enough to resist illegal in Canada, and have publicly fought and immoral war. We’d be honored to for the right to remain there. support your refusal to deploy to Iraq. We’ve also supported those who Courage to Resist members paste military US troops are not the cops of the world. have returned to the US to face US recruiting offi ce windows with posters in Oakland, There is no legitimate mission for you or military injustice. California. Photo by Jeff Paterson, 5/15/06 any US service members in Iraq. Don’t • Nearly 50 service members who Refuse illegitimate authority. Have be fooled by more lies from the President, have required assistance with the Courage to Resist illegal war. We the Congress, the media or anyone else. legal fees, and related support, for support the troops who refuse to fi ght! Courage to Resist exists to support fi ghting military court-martials for service members who resist illegal and having gone AWOL/UA. immoral war and occupation. Since 2006, Mission Statement Courage to Resist has provided moral and • Hundreds of Individual Ready COURAGE TO RESIST is a group of material support to GI objectors, including Reservists (IRR) who have refused concerned community members, veterans legal aid when needed. involuntary activations. and military families that supports military objectors to illegal war and occupation and the policies of empire. Our People “Today the US is sending a few hundred military advisers, backed by an Power strategy weakens the pillars that additional group of mercenaries, to prop up the Iraqi regime. Some of these maintain war and occupation in Iraq, individuals may well be the last US service members to die for the Iraq War lie, to Afghanistan and elsewhere by supporting paraphrase John Kerry regarding the end of the Vietnam War. What happens if the GI resistance, counter-recruitment and neocons have their way and the US “surges” back into Iraq to save the al-Maliki draft resistance, which cuts off the supply government? Courage to Resist wants service members to know that they have of troops. We are autonomous from and options, including doing the right thing—resistance.” independent of any political organization, -Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist Project Director party or group. “The fog machine of war” by Chelsea Manning cont. operational security. Opinion polls indicate that Reporters should have Americans’ confi dence in their elected timely access to information. representatives is at a record low. The military could do far Improving media access to this crucial more to enable the rapid aspect of our national life—where declassifi cation of information America has committed the men and that does not jeopardize women of its armed services—would be a military missions. The military’s powerful step toward re-establishing trust Signifi cant Activity Reports, between voters and offi cials. for example, provide quick Manning’s article reached nearly 2.5 overviews of events like attacks million readers and was reported on by many and casualties. Often classifi ed other media outlets. To support Chelsea, fund by default, these could help her legal appeals team, maximize her voice The Chelsea Manning trolly car in the SF PRIDE 2014 parade. journalists report the facts behind bars, and continue public education Photo by Alex Rodgers, 7/29/14. accurately. efforts, we need your continued support.