Pentagon Hides 17,000 Iraq and Afghan War Casualties
In a shocking development, the ultra-hawk Washington Times, a top proponent of pre-emptive and unilateral war, challenged the Department of Defense today: The Times reported how DoD is hiding more than 17,000 Iraq War casualties. This disurbing news demands answers: Is our government ready to provide healthcare and benefits to these wounded, injured, and ill soldiers in need? And how much will the healthcare cost U.S. taxpayers?
Pentagon Policy Leaves Guardsmen Injured during Iraq War in Limbo
Who is taking care of our troops? While the current administration makes speeches at military bases, the wounded, injured, and ill from Iraq fill up military post clinics all over our Nation with little publicity. The military calls this an "oversight," and they admit there was little planning to care for the tens of thousands of Iraq War casualties. Heartless Pentagon bureaucrats needlessly keep soldiers away from their families as they recover and await discharge. Where is the Congressional oversight?
Manhattan judge orders government to turn over detainee records within 30 days
NEW YORK — Suggesting that the federal government was acting as if it had something to hide, a judge Wednesday gave it one month to turn over records related to the treatment of detainees and prisoners in Iraq to watchdog groups, including Veterans for Common Sense.
Soldiers' kin pay a high price
As politicians make grand speeches supporting our troops, families of our wounded soldiers are being told they soon will no longer receive the modest government stipend that helps them leave job and home to stay at their loved one's hospital bedside.
United Nations Secretary General Says Iraq War Illegal
In a statement completely ignored by the press and the government in the United States, U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan branded the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq as "illegal."
Judge Orders Release of Documents; Veterans Call for Independent Investigation
Veterans for Common Sense, a non-partisan veterans' organization, called for an independent investigation into the torture scandal following the order by a federal judge requiring the Pentagon and other plaintiffs to release documents on torture within 30 days.
The Military Draft Nears – U.S. Running Short of Reserve Troops
Young Americans are growing more concerned about their future as the Iraq War situation worsens. With the Bush Administration depleting both active duty and reserve soldiers with the pre-emptive and unilateral war against Iraq, there may not be enough soldiers to defend America or occupy Iraq and Afghanistan. This looming shortfall may result in the return of the military draft — young people ordered into the military and sent overseas to fight.
War-weary US military more wary of Bush in election
President George W. Bush is best positioned to win the military vote in the November 2 presidential election but experts say his popularity has dimmed among service members who have borne the burden of three years of warfare. "He has the incumbent's curse on a number of issues," said Peter Feaver, a political science professor at Duke University in North Carolina and an authority on US civil-military relations, referring to the disappointment over unrealized campaign promises.
Edwards: No Military Draft if Dems Win
According to the article below, the strong probability of a forced military draft is now a major campaign issue. Parents and and young people want to know if the current administration plans to continue to use the "back door draft" and re-call thousands of discharged soldiers for the war in Iraq, or, will the current administration wait until after the election and announce plans for a military draft?
Transcript of the court briefing on the ACLU-VCS FOIA case.
Transcript of the court briefing on the ACLU-VCS FOIA case.
Stipend for Injured Service-Members to Expire; FOIA Lawsuit Update: VCS Weekly Update
The New York Daily News reported yesterday that a key stipend designed to allow the family members of injured service members will stop as of October 1, unless Congress takes immediate action.
Annan Says Iraq War Was 'Illegal'
The cold hard truth: The pre-emptive U.S. attack against Iraq was "illegal," according to the United Nations.
Gold Star Mother to Laura Bush — President Bush Killed My Son
The world is upside-down: The mother of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq asked First Lady Laura Bush why her son died. In response, a partisan crowd cheered, "four years!" Where is the outpouring of compassion and concern for this mother (and her family) who can fly a gold star banner?
20,000 U.S. Mercenaries in Iraq, U.S. Mercenaries Sent to Prison in Afghanistan
According to this article, there are 20,000 contractors being paid to serve in Iraq. Jonathan Turley claims "ontractor" is the term used by the Defense Department to avoid more pejorative terms like "mercenary" to describe Washington's growing shadow army. In another news article, a group of mercenaries in Afghanistan sent to prison this week claimed they were working with Army Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, the deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence at the Pentagon.
Soldiers say they were told to re-enlist or face deployment to Iraq
Young people beware. The article below should be front page news in every newspaper, and it should be broadcast at the top of the news for every TV and radio newscast. The article is evidence there really is a military draft right now, except that it isn't called the draft any longer. According to the news article below, "Soldiers from a Fort Carson combat unit say they have been issued an ultimatum – re-enlist for three more years or be transferred to other units expected to deploy to Iraq."
September 15 Court Order on Torture FOIA – Acrobat PDF
GAO Report: Reserve Force Mobilization Issues – Acrobat PDF