Veterans Against The Iraq War Statement of Purpose

Veterans Against The Iraq War is a coalition of American veterans who oppose war with Iraq.

     Until and unless the current U.S. Administration provides evidence which clearly demonstrates that Iraq or any other nation poses a clear, immediate danger to our country, we oppose all of the Administrations pre-emptive and unilateral military and diplomatic activities geared towards provoking or initiating a military conflict ‘with Iraq. Furthermore, we cannot support any war that is initiated without a formal Declaration of War by Congress, as our Constitution requires. 

     Although we detest the dictatorial policies of Saddam Hussein and sympa­thize with the tragic plight of the Iraqi people, we oppose unilateral and pre-emptive U.S. military intervention on the grounds that it would establish a dangerous precedent in the conduct of international affairs, that it could easily lead to an increase of violent regional instability and the spread of a much wider conflict, that It would place needless and unacceptable finan­cial burdens on the American people, that it would further divert us from addressing critical domestic priorities, mid that it would distract us from our stated goal of destroying international terrorists and their lairs. 

        Furthermore, Veterans Against The Iraq War does not believe the American military can or should be used as the police force of the world by any Administration, Republican, or Democrat. Consequently, we believe that the lives and well-being of our nations soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines should not be squandered or sacrificed for causes other than the direct defense of our people and our nation,

         Finally, we believe that a pre-emptive and unilateral US military attack on Iraq would be illegal, unnecessary, counterproductive mid present a truly dire threat to our vital international interests and basic national security. As military veterans, we have a unique understanding of war and know the many hidden truths that lie behind easy theories and promises, as well as behind the tragic consequences that even victory brings. We therefore call on all like-minded American veterans to join and support VAIW in its efforts to avert a national tragedy and an international calamity before it begins

 Veterans Against The Iraq War includes: 

Jan Barry, founder, who was in the US. Army from 1962-65, which included a tour in Vietnam. 

Igor Bobrowsky is a Purple Heart veteran of Vietnam (1967-68), served with the 5th Marines and USMC/CAF.

David Cline served in Vietnam in 1967 as a rifleman with the 25th Infantry Division. He was awarded three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, CIB, along with other medals and is disabled from the wounds he received.

Diane Carlson Evans, RN, served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps from 1966-1972.      In 1968-1969 she worked in surgical and burn units in Vietnam caring for wounded American soldiers as well as Vietnamese and Montgnard civilian casualties of War.

John Greeley sewed in the US Marines from 1963 to 1967 with a tour in Vietnam.

Stewart Nusbaumer served with the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam. After receiving a medical discharge because of combat wounds, he graduated from Vassar College.

Charles Sheehan-Miles served with the 24th Infantry Division during the 1991 Gulf War, and was decorated for valor for helping rescue fellow soldiers from a burning tank.

Wilson “Woody” Powell is a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the USAF, and today is Executive Director of Veterans For Peace.

Barty Romo, former Army Infantry lieutenant, served in the Americal Division (67-68) In Vietnam and was awarded the CIB and Bronze Star with V.

Jaime Vazquez was with the 1st Marine Division in the Vietnam War where he was wounded.

For more Information visit www.vaiw.org

This article posted on:                  www.Net4TruthUSA.com/VAIW.htm 

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This article is posted by Net4TruthUSA Ministries at www.Net4TruthUSA.com

To access this article, click on VET’S ORGANIZATIONS then click on V.A.I.W.

Read a Related article “Why I Support VQLAN” by David Todeschini on:

www.Net4TruthUSA.com/VQLAN.htm