They say they are not disloyal. They say they are not shirking their duty and that they do not oppose war. But over 1,000 active-duty and reserve members of the U.S. military are against the war in Iraq and have said so in an unusually public way -- by petitioning Congress last month. Several of them appear to explain their actions in a Lara Logan report to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday Feb. 25 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
"I'm not anti-war. I'm not a pacifist. I'm not opposed to protecting our country and defending our principles," says Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto, an Iraq war veteran who, along with another veteran, initiated the petition. A 1995 law called the Military Whistleblower act enables military personnel to express their own opinions about Iraq in protected communication directly to Congress. Hutto and others spoke with 60 MINUTES while off duty, off base and out of uniform as conscientious citizens. "But at the same time, as citizens, it's our obligation to have a questioning attitude... about policy," Hutto tells Logan.
Marine Sgt. Liam Madden, who helped Hutto to found the organization they call Appeal for Redress that has attracted 1,000 other military members, is more blunt. "Just because we volunteered for the military doesn't mean we volunteered to put our lives in unnecessary harm and to carry out missions that are illogical and immoral."
These GIs and others Logan spoke with expressed frustration with their efforts in Iraq and believe there is no end in sight to the war. Other Iraqi war veterans still on duty there believe Appeal for Redress misses a larger point. "As an American soldier, I feel like we took an oath to obey the orders of our commander-in-chief and officers appointed over us," says Army Spec. James Smauldon. Said another serviceman in Iraq, Army Capt. Lawrence Nunn, "I know what IÕm here fighting for, to give the Iraqi people some democracy and hope, so I am 100 percent behind this mission. You don't sign up to pick which war you go to."
Another Appeal for Redress member counters, "Our leadership gets to choose the mission. Congress gets to choose the mission," Staff Sgt. Matt Nuckolls says. He's loyally committed to whatever Congress wants him to do but savors the right to question it. "My Congressman is Lacy Clay. I would like to tell him as a constituent of his, 'Is the mission in Iraq really what you want us to be doing?' And then [if] he responds yes, okay, well, we go back to Iraq and keep doing what we're doing."
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The military doesn't work for Congress; it works for the president. This is absurd. Servicemen and women may certainly contact their elected representatives and senators in their home states, but they do not need and should not have an avenue of "protected communication directly to Congress." I have to wonder if this is constitutional to begin with. Just ridiculous.
I guess I don't understand your point. You want the military to start being led from the bottom up? Not our usual top down structure? i guess you like this?
This situation illustrateschecks and balances that differ from the framers' legal intent, IMHO. Like I said, the troops work for Bush. They are not Congress' responsibility. All Congress does is set law andcutchecks, not manage the armed forces.
I don't go complaining to Congress when I don't like something my boss tells me do. I also onlywrite tomy three elected officials, as a constituent, and in the same way that others do, not via a secured channel of any kind. There is no reason for this kind of communication system.
Furthermore, it's a damned shame that these people are weakening morale and strenghtening our enemies by running to the media like this. It's nothing more than a publicity stunt. Speaking you mind at home is one thing, but wearing a uniform in the war zone and then turning to badmouth your leaders? Unless there's some terrible story about a war crime or something that serious in nature, people need to keep their mouths shut until we win.
They signed the dotted line as the phrase goes. Makes me sick. I would saya lot of them are just looking for a way out. I believe we may have our opinions but being in the service we DO NOT need to put them out in the public. We do what the gov. tells us to do. That's part of being in the military. If you don't like it, DON'T RE-UP!
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I guess I don't understand your point. You want the military to start being led from the bottom up? Not our usual top down structure? i guess you like this?
Nope I was just showing another side of the story. I keep hearing everyone of there is 100% for the mission found this and posted it.
These guys aren't saying the won't fight nor are they saying the want out they are voicing their opinions as citzen soldiers.
They are putting their lives on the line not me nor is jsut about anyone on this board, we have a few on here in the war, they shouldn't be heard?
Bad for morale makes me wonder what these guy's are really saying over there?
Quote:
There is no reason for this kind of communication system.
Doesn't look like Congress agrees with you.
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Your right P it is bad morale. I'm not saying you still don't have the right to your opinion while in the Military. But the way their doing it is wrong. We're told when we first join up. I'm sure they'll pay the price in the end. Most are probably reserves or national gaurd. When their not activated they don't fall under the united states code of military justice. I'm just saying their wrong.
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RIP Brothers in Arms!! You gave so others may LIVE!!! I miss you!
Other Iraqi war veterans still on duty there believe Appeal for Redress misses a larger point. "As an American soldier, I feel like we took an oath to obey the orders of our commander-in-chief and officers appointed over us," says Army Spec. James Smauldon. Said another serviceman in Iraq, Army Capt. Lawrence Nunn, "I know what IÕm here fighting for, to give the Iraqi people some democracy and hope, so I am 100 percent behind this mission. You don't sign up to pick which war you go to."
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Charlie, when you have a collection of people or sample size, your bound to get people with different views. Its just the way it is. I am not naive to think 100% of the people over there are all for it and can't imagine you or really anyone in this forum thinks that way.
Even I a supporter of the war, sometimes get down and think of the past and how if we didn't have the stomach to finish it out, we shouldn't even have ever gone in, no matter if WMD's were there or if that wasn't the reason. But now all we can do is look forward. I bet just about anything if we pull out now, we will have to come back and do this all over again for double the price. Some here doen'st have an opinion about the future, and just knows pull out now.
Military Personal speak up
