Seattle Veterans Challenge General Patraeus to a Debate

Seattle Veterans Challenge General Patraeus to a Debate

Veterans For Peace to Hold Two Protests Wednesday

by VVAWAI

When General David Patraeus speaks at Town Hall tonight, he will be met by military veterans calling for an end to the U.S. occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Our troops are killing and dying for a lie,” said Gary Davis, President of Seattle Veterans For Peace. “Taking over other countries is a crime that creates more terrorists.”

As the Commander of all U.S. military forces in the Middle East and Central Asia, General Patraeus is in charge of the continuing U.S. occupation of Iraq and the quickly escalating U.S. war in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Seattle area chapter of Veterans For Peace is challenging General Patraeus to a debate.

“The Obama administration is escalating the war in Afghanistan without any public debate. And Gen. Patraeus is here in Seattle to sell us more war. We are challenging Gen. Patraeus to sit down and debate with Veterans For Peace. We know something about being lied to by our leaders,” said Davis, who drove a tank in the Vietnam War.

Veterans For Peace will have a busy day on Wednesday. Before confronting Gen. Patraeus at Town Hall, they will hold a 12 Noon vigil outside the Canadian Consulate at 4th & Pike in downtown Seattle to protest the Canadian government’s plans to deport AWOL GIs.

At the same time, the Conservative government of Canada is trying to deport young American GIs who are seeking refuge in that country.

“Many of these GI resisters are Iraq veterans who had the courage and good sense not to return to an illegal war and occupation,” said Gerry Condon of Veterans For Peace.

Kimberly Rivera, an Iraq veteran and the first woman soldier to seek refuge in Canada, has a hearing on Wednesday in Canada’s Federal Court that will determine if she will be deported to the U.S., along with her husband and three young children.

“If the Canadian government deports Kimberly Rivera, the U.S. Army will most likely take her away from her children, court-martial her, and send her to prison,” said Condon, who found refuge in Canada during the Vietnam War.

“We are becoming mired in another Vietnam War and we must all protest very loudly,” said Condon. “It is our responsibility as Veterans For Peace to support the troops who resist these illegal wars and occupations.”

Veterans For Peace is a national organization with over 7,000 members, and chapters in 126 U.S. cities. Founded in 1987, its stated mission is to abolish war as a means of foreign policy.

For more information or to arrange interviews, telephone Gerry Condon at 206-499-1220 or email him at [email protected].

Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist (VVAWAI) has the following points of unity:

1. VVAWAI is an anti-imperialist organization which is open to veterans of all eras, reservists, and active duty GIs.
2. VVAWAI has vowed to bring the lessons paid for in blood into direct opposition to any wars or war preparations by the U.S. and all imperialist powers, East or West.
3. VVAWAI upholds all resistance to imperialist war by GIs, reservists, veterans and the anti-war/peace movement.
4. Just as we upheld the righteous struggle of the people of South East Asia fighting for their liberation, we uphold the just struggles of people around the world as they fight for their liberation today.
5. As veterans, we know that racism and the subjugation of women are twin pillars of crimes against humanity. We vow to oppose these and all other forms of oppression.

VVAWAI
P.O. Box 21604
Seattle, WA 98111-3604
[email protected]
web: www.vvawai.org
We Are All Outlaws in the Eyes of Amerikkka!!!