HELP Protect the Rep of Our Troops & America

There is important material below. PLEASE read and help protect the reputations of our troops who have or are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and of America. -- YOUR help in this is urgently needed, to counteract the slanders, to write to your local newspapers, to build as many Internet links as possible, so that reporters who may do research will find the contrary view to the slanderers.

Next Thursday, March 13th, to March 16th, the latest incarnation, called "Winter Soldier II", of the propaganda hearings of 1971 that for a generation fouled the reputations and honor of Vietnam veterans will be held in the D.C. area by the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). IVAW is part of the far-left's Veterans For Peace, and aided by Vietnam Veterans Against the War veterans from Vietnam days. They are well-organized. At the bottom of this post is a paste of just a few of their press coverage from today alone. It's a steady and increasing stream, building for next week.

We MUST counteract them.

Denis Keohane of the blog Obiter Dictum has been doing a great, and almost solitary, job of tracking the IVAW's twists and turns. He reminds me of when I started, alone, to counter VVAW in early 1971. Keohane, Scott Swett (blogmaster of Wintersoldier.com and author of To Set The Record Straight about 2004's successful Swiftee campaign to sink John Kerry's inflated boat), and I quickly came together to create the below "Reporters' Guide: Iraq Veterans Against the War Winter Soldier Investigation" and the accompanying "Winter Soldier Resources" of additional background material.

These will be distributed to media in the Washington, D.C. area next Monday. Gathering of Eagles and others who will counterdemonstrate have copies, which they will distribute to media they encounter.

There's links aplenty to help you get up to speed. SO PLEASE GET TO IT AND HELP.

Reporters’ Guide: Iraq Veterans Against the War Winter Soldier Investigation

(March 13-16, 2008; National Labor College, 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD)

An Information Release from "Stop the Slander" - a coalition of concerned veterans, family members and friends.

The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars to be treated and appreciated by their nation. -- George Washington

What is Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW)?
• The IVAW is a tax-exempt activist organization founded in July 2004 with the assistance of older radical organizations Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) and Veterans for Peace (VFP). IVAW obtains its 501(c)3 tax exempt status from the latter group.
Source (VFP): http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6244
(IVAW: http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7305
• IVAW calls for the immediate withdrawal of all of what it calls “occupying” forces in Iraq, reparations to be paid, and an end of corporate pillaging by the U.S.
Source: http://ivaw.org/about

Who are IVAW’s Members?
• The organization claims about 800 members, which would be 1/2000th of the 1.6 million who have served in Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF) if all the IVAW members had actually served in either theatre.
Source: http://ivaw.org/
• The organization’s name is misleading. Service in Iraq (or Afghanistan) is not a requirement for membership. Membership criteria is that a veteran or active duty person had to serve in any capacity in the active duty military, National Guard or Reserves for any period of time after September 11, 2001.
Source: http://ivaw.org/membership
• A significant but unknown number of members, likely 20% - 40% based on IVAW’s public member profiles, have not deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Source: http://ivaw.org/view/profiles

What are IVAW’s Main Activities?
• Primarily demonstrations, street theatre and using whatever media they can to further the anti-war cause, much of it having to do with vague but constant charges of atrocities and war crimes by American forces.
Sources: Sunday Times, Mar 2, 2008: We Came, We Saw, We Murdered
http://ivaw.org/images/LondonTimesMagazinecover.jpg
Video: Commanders Encourage War Crimes – The Killing of Civilians is Policy
http://trevorsnyder.info/watch-video/cwYvdyn3oRc/mmflint/iraq-war-veterans:-commanders-encourage-war-crimes.html

Does IVAW Have a History of Credibility Problems? Yes. Here are a few examples:
• In May 2006 an IVAW member named Jesse MacBeth appeared in a video widely circulated on the Internet. MacBeth claimed to have been a Ranger in Iraq who had committed horrific atrocities with his unit, including the execution of hundreds of men, women and children. However, MacBeth was exposed as a fraud who had been dismissed from the Army before completing Basic Training.
Source: Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003739269_fakeranger08m0.html
• In 2005, IVAW founder Jimmy Massy, a Marine veteran of Iraq, was found to have fabricated stories published in the Modesto Bee, the Sacramento Bee and the Associated Press. Ron Harris of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and four other embedded reports and other Marines in Massey’s unit refuted the claims. The news organizations published retractions.
Sources: Jewish World Review http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin110905.php3
Michelle Malkin
http://michellemalkin.com/2005/12/14/jimmy-masseys-lies-the-ap-finally-wakes-up/
• In an interview in March 2005, IVAW leader Camilo Mejia was asked if he had ever abused or tortured detainees in Iraq and replied in the negative. During his court martial for desertion Mejia again made no claims to have done or been ordered to do so, which claim if made might have strengthened his defense. However, in an interview the next August with Dahr Jamail, author of “Beyond the Green Zone”, Mejia’s story changed to “I tortured guys.”
Sources: PBS http://www.pbs.org/now/news/330-transcript.html
Dahr Jamail’s Mideast Dispatches http://dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog/archives/iraq_dispatches/000271.php
Point of Clarity News http://www.pointofclarity.org/news/story.cfm?nID=50
• In the same interview with Dahr Jamail in Aug 2005, Jamail wrote of what several IVAW members were telling him "I type furiously for three hours, trying to keep up with the stories each of the men shared….about the atrocities of what they saw, and committed, while in Iraq." IVAW member Harvey Tharp was quoted by Jamail saying “Most of what we’re talking about is war crimes…war crimes because they are directed by our government for power projection.” However, in an interview with the Yemen Times published on Feb 25, 2008, Tharp admitted to never having witnessed an atrocity in Iraq.
Sources: Dahr Jamail’s Mideast Dispatches http://dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog/archives/iraq_dispatches/000271.php
Yemen Times http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1132&p=report&a=1

Are The Atrocity and War Crimes Stories Told by IVAW Members True?

• The stories follow a familiar pattern. Wartime events that are often both legal and moral, but that may have disturbing or tragic consequences out of the realm of normal civilian experience are deliberately mischaracterized by IVAW activists to put them in the worst possible light.
• The stories are invariably presented without the details that would enable them to be verified. Nor is there any indication that the alleged events were reported to the chain of command when they happened, as is required in the case of genuine crimes by the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
Sources: Times Online http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3444835.ece?Submitted=true
Video: Commanders Encourage War Crimes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwYvdyn3oRc
About.com: Uniform Code of Military Justice http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/l/blucmj.htm

What is the History of “Winter Soldier” Allegations and Why is it Important?

• In 1971, more than 100 members of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) held a three day conference in Detroit to make hundreds of unsupported allegations of war crimes that they claimed to have participated in or witnessed.
• The VVAW allegations were presented to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs in April 1971 by John Kerry, in an event given enormous publicity by the “Big Three” networks, ABC, CBS and NBC. The networks and print media repeated the war crime allegation uncritically, without demanding evidence.
• The Kerry / VVAW allegations were widely believed, and helped contribute to an atmosphere of public contempt toward American Vietnam Veterans.
• The military was charged with investigating the VVAW allegations, but the results of those investigations were never made public.
• The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) opened cases for 48 VVAW allegations that, if true, would qualify as war crimes. Summary reports show that 25 of the “witnesses” refused to support their allegations with evidence. Several others provided statements that could not be confirmed, or that were contradicted by investigation. At least ten more backtracked on their Winter Soldier allegations when questioned by investigators. Out of 76 allegations made by purported Army VVAW members, only one case showed probable evidence of a war crime.
Sources: WinterSoldier.com: Army CID Investigations of VVAW War Crimes Allegations
http://www.wintersoldier.com/staticpages/index.php?page=WSI_CID
FrontPageMagazine.com: Newly Discovered Army Reports Discredit “Winter Soldier” Claims
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=5AA13DC0-481C-46BC-AF88-D5FE933B3216

How Should the Media Respond to the Winter Soldier Stories and Allegations?

• Journalists should exert due diligence to establish the truth and search for the facts that will verify or refute each allegation.
• An acronym has been developed as a simple guide to what should reasonably be asked by journalists of those making allegations: DUPES:
D: Date(s) – When did the incident occur?
U: Unit(s) – What military units were involved?
P: Personnel – What are the names of the participants and witnesses?
E: Event(s) – What exactly happened exactly where?
S: Signature(s) – Was this reported at the time or later and were reports, affidavits or depositions signed, or will they now be signed?
• Journalists can and should check with the Pentagon to verify service claimed (via DD214) of testifiers.
• Statements and written accounts made by many members of IVAW are readily available on the Internet and should be checked against the claims made at Winter Soldier to establish consistency or changes in these allegations over time.
• If such questions are not asked, answered, and professionally followed up, journalists are merely helping activists spread political propaganda.

For more information on IVAW and the 2008 Winter Soldier Investigation: http://keohane.blogspot.com/

For more information on VVAW and the 1971 Winter Soldier Investigation: http://www.wintersoldier.com/

Contact:

Denis Keohane
Obiter Dictum Blog http://keohane.blogspot.com/
email: dkeohane@triad.rr.com
Phone: 336-634-0789
(Mon - Fri: 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm*, Sat & Sun: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
*Wed 3/12 only: 9:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Winter Soldier Resources

Milbloggers Attending Winter Soldier

• Rurik blogging at Veteran American Voices – Silent No More, Combat Engineer (12B20), Vietnam
http://veteranamerican.info/?page_id=4
• Thus Spake Ortner blogging at The Sniper, active duty, combat infantry veteran (11B10) of OEF (Afghanistan)
http://3-116thsniper.blogspot.com/
• John Lilyea blogging at This Ain't Hell But You Can See It From Here, SFC Army, retired after twenty, Infantry, Airborne, CIB, Bronze Star Medal and Valorous Unit Citation
http://thisainthell.us/blog/

Blogs Covering and Reporting on Winter Soldier

• Chickenhawk Express: http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/
• Obiter Dictum: http://keohane.blogspot.com/

Blogs and Sites with Material about IVAW and Its Members:

• BLACKFIVE
http://www.blackfive.net/main/
• Michelle Malkin
http://michellemalkin.com/
• Mudville Gazette
http://www.mudvillegazette.com/

* Iraq Veterans Against the War backgrounder
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7305

Resources and Articles on Winter Soldier 1971

• American Thinker: Investigate the Winter Soldier Investigation
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/10/investigate_the_winter_soldier.html
• FrontPageMag: “Newly Discovered Army Reports Discredit ‘Winter Soldier’ Claims”
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=5AA13DC0-481C-46BC-AF88-D5FE933B3216
• WinterSoldier.com
http://www.wintersoldier.com/

Resources and Articles on Winter Soldier 2008

• American Thinker: Swiftboating History
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/12/swiftboating_history.html
• Democracy Project: IVAW's Winter Soldier II March 13 Foundation Of Frauds
http://www.democracy-project.com/archives/003687.html
• Chickenhawk Express: Need A War Crime Story – Call Dahr Jamail
http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2007/10/need-war-crime-story-call-dahr-jamail.html

Articles on the Effects of WSI 1971 on Vietnam Veterans

By Mackubin T. Owens:

• “Seared in My Memory”
http://www.nationalreview.com/owens/owens200409200858.asp
• "Slandering an Entire Generation of Warriors"
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/owens/99/60s.html
• "The 'Troubled Vet' Returns"
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/owens/04/troubled.html

IVAW: Credibility Problems

• IVAW Questions and Answer
http://keohane.blogspot.com/2008/03/ivaw-questions-and-answers.html

IVAW Tactics

• Sunday Times: We Came, We Saw, We Murdered
http://ivaw.org/images/LondonTimesMagazinecover.jpg
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3444835.ece
• Commanders Encourage War Crimes
http://ivawactions.ning.com/video/video/show?id=835788%3AVideo%3A3002

Other Anti-Military Smears

• Defend Our Marines: Haditha
http://warchronicle.com/TheyAreNotKillers/DefendOurMarines.htm
• American Thinker: Investigate the Haditha Libels
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/08/the_haditha_libels_require_inv.html

Google News Alert for: "Iraq Veterans Against the War"
Activists stage talks on Iraq war
BurlingtonFreePress.com - Burlington,VT,USA
The veteran was Matt Howard, a freshman at St. Michael's who served as a Marine during the Iraq invasion and is a leader of Iraq Veterans Against the War. ...
See all stories on this topic

Winter Soldier: Can the Mainstream Media Handle the Truth?
OpEdNews - Newtown,PA,USA
Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War will provide an outlet for veterans to be speak out and for the American ...
See all stories on this topic

Vet Bus Stop At Capitol on Way to DC Event on Iraq Atrocities
NewsBlaze - Folsom,CA,USA
Sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out and Gold Star Families Speak Out, the historical ...
See all stories on this topic

Paso Robles students hold war debate to mark five-year anniversary ...
KSBY - San Luis Obispo,CA,USA
They included three members from the Iraq Veterans Against the War and three military recruiters. "I want to share my experiences with students. ...
See all stories on this topic

SOURCE: Sire Records
Market Wire (press release) - USA
All proceeds from "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran" go to benefit the non-profit organization Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), ...
See all stories on this topic

5 years later: Inside Ithaca's Peace Movement
Ithaca Times - Ithaca,NY,USA
They also have close ties with the Iraq Veterans Against the War. "It's really important to give the returning vets a place to be able to share the truths ...
See all stories on this topic

Area News Roundup
Oneonta Daily Star - Oneonta,NY,USA
He is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Black also will be appearing at other venues in the area through Sunday. The talk is being co-sponsored by ...
See all stories on this topic

County Roundup
San Luis Obispo Tribune - San Luis Obispo,CA,USA
... soldiers on their way to and from Iraq. A panel of US Army and Marine representatives will be on hand, as well as a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
See all stories on this topic

Truly protect free speech
Tuscaloosa News (subscription) - Tuscaloosa,AL,USA
The students had invited to the University of Alabama, Jason Hurd, from the Asheville, NC chapter of "Iraq Veterans against the War" (IVAW), to speak about ...
See all stories on this topic

Vets raise their voices against occupation
Socialist Worker Online - Chicago,IL,USA
Go to the Iraq Veterans Against the War Web site for more information about how to set up your own local broadcast of Winter Soldier, or to post information ...
See all stories on this topic

Google Blogs Alert for: "Iraq Veterans Against the War"
Veterans Speak Out Against War
By Sabine
... in Washington DC to testify about their experiences, and present video and photographic evidence, as will military families and civilian survivors, in “Winter Soldier” hearings organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). ...
Real and "Informational" Bombs - http://bombs.wordpress.com

Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan Support The Troops
By Kitchen Window Woman(Kitchen Window Woman)
Washington DC, March 13 -16, 2008 - Iraq Veterans Against The War, inspired by the actions taken by Vietnam Veterans 37 years ago, will gather in our in our nation's capitol "to expose the truth and consequences of the War on Terror to ...
The Dishpan Chronicles - http://thedishpanchronicles.blogspot.com/

Bambi and Rezko
By Kat(Kat)
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at The Objector, The GI Rights Hotline [(877) 447-4487], Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all ...
Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills) - http://katskornerofthecommonills.blogspot.com/

Three-Stomp Blues: Vets Tell True Stories of the Terror War
By Gaime(Gaime)
This week the Sunday Times gave a display of this dying art, in a remarkable report about the Iraq Veterans Against the War, and their preparations for another "Winter Soldier" gathering next week, echoing the landmark 1971 conference ...
Gaimes BlowBack NewZ - http://gaimelist.blogspot.com/

Iraq War Veterans Answer One Last Call of Duty
By leftofdayton
But when the signal is given shortly before 10 am today at the Constitution Center, 20 members of the Philadelphia chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War will march once more. They’ll trek along Kelly Drive, past the Art Museum and ...
LEFT OF DAYTON - http://leftofdayton.wordpress.com