GI Special / Travelling Soldier / Military Project.org – 2006-10-03 23:03:30
http://www.uruknet.de/?colonna=m&p=26999&l=e&size=1&hd=0
Vet Candidate For Congress Says Armed Forces Must Get Ready To Arrest Bush/Cheney
Thomas F. Barton / GI Special & Information Clearing House
“Resist All Illegal Orders by Bush or Cheney, And Take The Gentlemen Into Custody If Necessary”
(September 21, 2006) — Former Army Lieutenant and a candidate for Congress in VT, Dennis Morrisseau of W. Pawlet, today called for the arrest of President Bush and Vice President Cheney by the American military “if necessary” to prevent an unauthorized attack upon the nation of Iran.
“American forces are apparently already active inside Iran, and Naval forces have received orders to deploy to that country,” Morrisseau said.
“The President has NO AUTHORITY to attack the nation of Iran whatsoever, in the absence of a full, formal Declaration of War on Iran by the sitting Congress,” Morrisseau said.
He said any order for an attack upon Iran or to deploy naval forces to its coastal waters is illegal, and called upon officers of the American military to “First, refuse to obey such an order.
“If the president persists and insists on ordering our forces into combat in or over Iran without a formal Declaration of War, then I call upon you, General Pace, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and upon such other military officers as clearly see their duty in these circumstances to detain both the President and Vice President, until such time as the Congress shall act.”
Morrisseau, a Congressional candidate who was court-martialled for opposition to the Vietnam War in 1968, said he has written to General Pace to ask for the intervention of the military.
“In spite of my opposition to the Vietnam War and the court-martial which we ultimately defeated, I was a good soldier who had the respect of my superior officers throughout the ordeal. And they had mine!” Morrisseau said. “There are many many, very, very decent people in the active duty military. I know this,” he said “— people who love their country and democracy too, and hate war.”
Morrisseau wrote that “Iran is no present threat to us or anyone. Their right to enrich uranium under treaties signed by us for the production of nuclear power is clear: and that is all they have so far done.
“An attack upon that nation now by us, acting alone will constitute an illegal war of aggression under international law. It is illegal under our law as well. I urge you to so advise the President,” Morrisseau wrote to Pace, “and urge that he take no such actions. In particular, he must not act in the absense of a full, formal, responsible War Declaration by Congress. “That is the Constitutional requirement.”
If he and Cheney persist, Morrisseau wrote, “than the country must rely upon you, Sir, and our armed forces generally, to resist all illegal orders by Bush or Cheney, and take the gentlemen into custody if necessary.”
“Our great nation has suffered a coup. And there is an immediate need for action and for the piercing of illusions. We need to step across old political boundaries and ideas. Who cares about “Democrats” vs. “Republicans”? The leadership of both parties is thoroughly corrupt.”
Thomas F. Barton can be reached at: thomasfbarton@earthlink.net
Betrayed: “When Our Own Politico-Military Hierarchy Sells Our Troops And American Civilians Down The River, They Must Go”
Lt. Col. Dennis Lee Adams (ret.) / Letters to the Army Times
(October 2, 2006) — It is with an extremely heavy heart that I write this. My opinions will be distasteful to many, revolting to some and even downright disloyal or traitorous to others. Nonetheless, I feel a very strong personal obligation, duty and responsibility to share them.
In keeping with the fine Army tradition of putting the bottom line first, the majority of our politico-military personnel, primarily in the paygrades of O-6 and above, has betrayed the special faith, trust and confidence given them by the citizens of the United States by not protecting our troops to the maximum extent possible.
They have failed miserably to make a good, honest effort to provide the quality of training, equipment and leadership that is so vital to our troops having a reasonable chance of accomplishing their missions and returning to their loved ones safe and sound, physically and mentally.
It is one thing for the civilian administration to make bad decisions at the strategic level, where the military has little or no control, but it is absolutely criminal for the politico-military hierarchy not to take appropriate actions in a timely manner to correct deficiencies identified at the tactical level that will have a negative effect on the well-being of our troops.
Our duty to support and defend is clearly understood, but when our own politico-military hierarchy sells our troops and American civilians down the river, they must go.
They have done what was expected of them by using our troops to justify anything and everything the current administration wants. But it is pathetic to know that the safety of our troops comes last.
Only the hopeless refuse to believe that everything boils down to money. Shouldn’t we at least demand that we take care of our troops first: before, during and after their sacrifice for our once-great country?
(Signed) Lt. Col. Dennis Lee Adams (ret.)
Austin, Texas
National Guard Prepared for Soldiers To Get The Call Again
“The Pentagon Would Have To Change Its Policy That Limits Guard Combat Tours To Two Years Out Of Five”
Jim Miklaszewski, Chief Pentagon Correspondent / NBC News
WASHINGTON (Sept 22, 2006) — A senior military official tells NBC News that five years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the Army to a dangerous breaking point.
For the Army, the pace of combat has been relentless. Many soldiers are already on their third combat tour. Frequent deployments have cut training time at home in half, which has left two-thirds of all Army combat units rated “not ready for combat.”
“I think, arguably, it’s the worst readiness condition the U.S. Army has faced since the end of Vietnam,” says NBC military analyst and retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey. So the Army’s looking again to the National Guard for relief.
A year ago, more than one-third of US ground forces in Iraq were National Guard. Guard chief Lt. Gen. Steven Blum is prepared for his soldiers to get the call again. “If you think the National Guard is busy today, I think we’re going to look back and say these were the good old days in about three years,” Blum says. But the Guard is also under stress.
Two hundred seventy thousand Guard soldiers, 60 percent of the force, have already hit their limit for overseas combat. The Pentagon would have to change its policy that limits Guard combat tours to two years out of five. “More is being asked of them, particularly the National Guard and Reserve components, than they signed up to do,” says McCaffrey, “and in the near term we think it’s going to unravel.”
Blum remains confident, however, that if needed the Guard will answer the call.
What do you think? Comments from service men and women, and veterans, are especially welcome. Send to contact@militaryproject.org. Name, I.D., withheld on request. Replies confidential.
