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Courage to Resist: Helping Soldiers Who Reject War

Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit

sent by Kevin Zeese - Jun 21, 2006

[One of the most powerful groups of voices in opposition to the
occupation of Iraq is U.S. soldiers who come home and speak out. In
particular, those who become so disillusioned and disgusted by the Iraq
occupation that they refuse to return provide a special power that can
help to end the nightmare of the Iraq quagmire. More and more soldiers
are reaching that breaking point and saying they refuse to participate.
As a result a support group has developed, Courage to Resist that is
aiding those who refuse to participate. In the interview below with Max
Diorio we examine why the war resisters are important in this debate and
what people can do to help them.]

Courage to Resist: Aiding Soldiers Who Refuse to Engage in War

An Interview with Max Diorio

By Kevin Zeese


Kevin Zeese: What is Courage to Resist?

Max Diorio: Courage to Resist describes itself as "a group of concerned
community members, veterans and military families that supports military
objectors to illegal war and occupation and the policies of empire. Our
People Power strategy weakens the pillars that maintain war and
occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere by supporting GI
resistance, counter-recruitment and draft resistance, which cuts off the
supply of troops."

KZ: What got you involved? What is your history related to this?

MD: I got involved in anti-war activism in 2003 a few months before the
most recent U.S. invasion of Iraq. At the outbreak of the war and
around the Republican National Convention in NYC in 2004, I was involved
in direct action campaigns, broader public-opinion work, mass
demonstrations, and more. When soldiers and families started to speak
out against the war, I was immediately drawn to the power of what they
were saying. In the current campaign to support Lt. Watada, I often
find myself brought to tears by Ehren's words, and also by the
outpouring of support that I have seen flood in from people around the
country who have such gratitude for what he is doing. There is
something so moving and true about the words of Camilo Mejia, Aidan
Delgado, Fernando Suarez del Solar, Katherine Jashinski, and all the
other public resisters that I believe their message has the ability to
reach out of the confines of the anti-war movement and into the minds
and hearts of everyone in this country.

KZ: How do you support resisters? What kind of impact do you hope
resistance by military officers will have?

MD: Courage to Resist as a group has the capacity to support resisters
in many ways. On a large scale, we are cultivating a National GI
Resistance Alert Network, which aims to have groups and individuals
around the country "on alert" ready to support those from within the
military who step forward to publicly resist war, occupation, and
empire. For those who do not wish to be public, we can also offer
"lower profile" support, which may come from the local area where the
person lives or is stationed.

In this way, much of the strength of Courage to Resist is drawn from its
desire to make support of Military Resistance an integral part of all
the work that is being done against the illegal war and occupation in
Iraq, and against war in general. We encourage groups and individuals
around the nation (and the world!) to take up this support work as a
part of the great work they already do.

On a more individual level, we have many ways to support those from
within the military who resist. We can offer help in the form of
"expert advice" to a man or woman who may be considering speaking out. I
say "expert advice" because among our ranks are former GI resisters,
Vets of many wars who have since spoken out against them, and folks
highly educated in the nuances and possibilities that crop up when a
person takes such a strong stand within the context of the US military.
Also, we can offer help to the individual resister in the form of
fundraising and political pressure campaigns intended to minimize
negative consequences to the person taking a brave stand against the
war.

KZ: Is there a historical precedent for soldiers resisting service? What
has been the impact in previous wars?

MD: There is a large historical precedent for soldiers resisting
service. The height of this of course came during the Vietnam Era, when
the outright refusal by so many from within the military and those who
were being drafted was a major factor in ending the war in Southeast
Asia. An incredible film about the power of the GI Resistance movement
in Vietnam has been released and is being shown around the country
called "Sir, No Sir!" http://www.sirnosir.com/ We believe that GI
resistance can actually stop the war, not only by denying "warm bodies"
the war effort, but by turning the tide of public opinion.

KZ: What do you say to those who say what you are doing is treason?

MD: I think anyone who accuses me or anyone who is publicly critical of
the war and occupation in Iraq of treason is truly delusional.
Personally, I don't have an "us vs. them" sense of the world, so being
accused of treason doesn't make me question my actions. However, even
for those who would consider themselves patriotic and loyal to America,
the war and occupation in Iraq is undeniably illegal. The irony is that
the actions of the Bush government are making the world less secure and
they are by definition war crimes.

KZ: Describe some of the resisters you are assisting and how you are
doing so?

MD: Right now our focus is on Ehren Watada, who is an Army officer
stationed in Fort Lewis, WA. More can be found on Ehren at
http://www.thankyoult.org/ Courage to Resist in conjunction with many
many groups and individuals around the country have formed a working
group which operates on two levels. One is the important work of giving
Ehren, his family, and community material support in terms of
fundraising, advice, media liasoning, and technical support. The other
is preparing to mount an unprecedented political and social campaign
which will demand that the military not criminalize Ehren's act, not
court martial him, and give him an honorable discharge from the
military. We will accomplish this by doing press work, holding rallies
and support actions, and generally making the case that Ehren is a hero,
and is doing the right thing by the standards of the Constitution, US
Law, and International Law. Courage to Resist along with others have
done similar support (though perhaps on a somewhat smaller scale), for
resisters like Kevin Benderman and Pablo Paredes.

KZ: What kinds of resources do resisters and their families need? How
can people get them those resources?

A: Some of the support needed and given was outlined in previous
questions, but again, like anyone, resisters need to feel that they are
being upheld and supported by people in their communities. To take such
a large step into the unknown, it is invaluable for resisters to feel
that they'll have people to rely on when they are being persecuted by
the US military.

This support can take the forms of material support and political/social
support as I outlined above. These resources can be garnered as long as
groups like Courage to Resist know there is a need. I have personally
seen amazing and touching outpourings of support for those who refuse to
fight in Iraq, or who stand up to the military in resisting war in
general.

KZ: What is the national day of action on June 27th? How can people get
involved? Are there events all over the country?

MD: June 27th is a date which will likely be very close to the time
that Ehren Watada's unit will be ordered to ship to Iraq. At this point,
Ehren will officially refuse orders. Courage to Resist and others are
calling for actions around the country to stand with Lt. Watada and his
conviction that this war is illegal and must end. The Courage to Resist
website at http://www.couragetoresist.org is the best place to find
updates on actions on the 27th. We will have national actions listed,
as well as downloadable materials that organizers can use in their
efforts. If Ehren is court-martialed by the military, which is likely,
we will build on the actions of June 27th to create an even bigger
national outcry around his court martial.

For more information on Courage to Resist visit:
http://www.CourageToResist.org

[Kevin Zeese is director of DemocracyRising.US and a candidate for US
Senator in Maryland. See http://www.ZeeseForSenate.org ]

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