A former Afghan prime minister has called for an inquiry after Al Jazeera broadcast footage showing Christian US soldiers appearing to be preparing to try and convert Muslims in Afghanistan.
Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/20095485025169646.html
Ahmed Shah Ahmedzai said there must be a "serious investigation" after military chaplains stationed in the US air base at Bagram were filmed discussing how to distribute copies of the Bible printed in the country's main Pashto and Dari languages.
In one recorded sermon, Lieutenant-Colonel Gary Hensley, the chief of the US military chaplains in Afghanistan, tells soldiers that, as followers of Jesus Christ, they all have a responsibility "to be witnesses for him".
"The special forces guys - they hunt men basically. We do the same things as Christians, we hunt people for Jesus. We do, we hunt them down," he says.
Read more here: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/20095485025169646.html
Monday, May 4, 2009
"ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS"--ARMY CHAPLAIN TELLS U.S. SPECIAL FORCES TO "HUNT FOR JESUS" BY HANDING OUT BIBLES TO AFGHAN CIVILIANS
U.S. TROOPS PLANNING ON DISTRIBUTING BIBLES IN AFGHANISTAN CAUSES RUCKUS (SEE VIDEO)
A group of Christian soldiers in the U.S. military have been planning on distributing bibles to the Muslim population of Afghanistan. The U.S. military is looking into who gave them the authority to distribute bibles to Afghan civilians.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/ObzIKLs3YU8&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
VERY VIOLENT VIDEO OF U.S. MARINES IN BRUTAL FIREFIGHTS IN AFGHASNISTAN (DON'T MISS THIS VIDEO)
Video shows the U.S. Marine Corps in brutal and sometimes gory combat in Afghanistan. Great music accompanies this video.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/tnhWUWR5ZJ4&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
FABULOUS NEW VIDEO OF 172ND STRYKER BRIGADE FIGHTING TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN (MUST SEE VIDEO)
This is a new video of the 172nd Stryker Brigade fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/q3G_MHi8WRE&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
MUST SEE VIDEO: NEW FOOTAGE OF VIOLENT COMBAT ACTION IN AFGHANISTAN
This video was taken at a FOB (Forward Operating Base) deep inside of Afghanistan and shows U.S. soldiers fighting the Taliban.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/sRGMBl5OPFY&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
Sunday, May 3, 2009
NAMES, HOMETOWNS OF U.S. SERVICE PERSONEL KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN IN APRIL
The following is a list of names, hometowns and cause of death of six members of the U.S. military killed in Afghanistan in April.
Source: http://icasualties.org/oef/byNationality.aspx?hndQry=US
1180
04/15/09
Dewater, Richard A.
Private 1st Class
21
U.S. Army
1st BN, 26th Infantry Reg, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
Korengal Valley
Topeka
Kansas
1179
04/14/09
Aguila, Francisco X.
Corporal
35
U.S. Army
82nd Sustainment Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps
Non-hostile
Kabul
Bayamon
Puerto Rico
1177
04/10/09
Ramsey, Jacob I.
Airman 1st Class
20
U.S. Air Force
712th Air Support Operations Squadron
Non-hostile
Kabul
Hesperia
California
1175
04/08/09
Oleski, Blaise A.
Lance Corporal
22
U.S. Marine
3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
Hostile - hostile fire
Helmand province
Holland Patent
New York
1176
04/06/09
Kuligowski, Adam M.
Specialist
21
U.S. Army
Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),
Non-hostile
Bagram
Arlington
Virginia
1172
04/04/09
Myers, Phillip A.
Staff Sergeant
30
U.S. Air Force
48th Civil Engineer Squadron
LIST OF NAMES AND HOMETOWNS OF 19 U.S. SERVICEMEN KILLED IN IRAQ IN APRIL
The Pentagon has released the names of 19 U.S. military personnel killed in IRAQ during the month of April. Their names are below. Click on any name for details on their hometown and cause of death.
Source: http://icasualties.org/Iraq/index.aspx
30-Apr-2009
3
US: 3 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler J. Trahan
Fallujah - Anbar
Hostile - hostile fire - bomb
US
Sergeant James R. McIlvaine
Anbar Province
Hostile - hostile fire
US
Staff Sergeant Mark A. Wojciechowski
Anbar Province
Hostile - hostile fire
25-Apr-2009
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Sergeant Leroy O. Webster
Kirkuk (near) - At-Ta'mim
Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
24-Apr-2009
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Company Sergeant-Major Benjamin Moore Jr.
Contingency Operating Base Speicher - Salah Ad Din
Non-hostile
22-Apr-2009
2
US: 2 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Corporal William C. Comstock
Anbar Province
Non-hostile
US
Corporal Brad A. Davis
Baghdad (near, east of)
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
16-Apr-2009
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Lance Corporal Ray A. Spencer II
Al Anbar Province
Non-hostile - gunshot wound
13-Apr-2009
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Sergeant Raul Moncada
Karbala (5 km south of)
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack (EFP)
12-Apr-2009
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Specialist Michael J. Anaya
Bayji - Salah Ad Din
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
10-Apr-2009
6
US: 6 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Sergeant Christopher D. Loza
Walter Reed Army Medical Center - NA
Non-Hostile - Illness
US
Staff Sergeant Gary L. Woods Jr.
Mosul - Ninawa
Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
US
Staff Sergeant Bryan E. Hall
Mosul - Ninawa
Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
US
Corporal Jason G. Pautsch
Mosul - Ninawa
Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
US
Private 2nd Class Bryce E. Gautier
Mosul - Ninawa
Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
US
Sergeant Edward Forrest
Mosul - Ninawa
Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
05-Apr-2009
1
US: 1 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Specialist Israel Candelaria Mejias
Baghdad (north east of) - Diyala
Hostile - hostile fire - land mine
04-Apr-2009
0
US: 0 UK: 0 Other: 0
03-Apr-2009
2
US: 2 UK: 0 Other: 0
US
Lance Corporal Stephen F. Dearmon
Al Anbar Province
Non-hostile
US
Sergeant Daniel J. Beard
Diwaniyah - Qadisiyah
Non-hostile
AFGHANISTAN FROM ABOVE: THIS IS WHERE OUR TROOPS ARE FIGHTING THE TALIBAN (VIDEO)
The camera takes you on a sweeping view of Afghanistan where thousands of our troops are fighting the Taliban in the mountains and caves of this desolate country. They won't be home for Mother's Day, but every American should stop and thank them for what they are doing.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/0Egm7EmQZl8&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON-DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
UNBELIEVEABLE VIDEO OF MORTAR ATTACK ON U.S. BASE IN IRAQ (DON'T MISS THIS)
You can hear our troops shouting to get out of the way as mortars rain down on their FOB in Iraq.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/oFC6ZL0qHaQ&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
Saturday, May 2, 2009
MONTAGE OF WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST: SONG BY BIANCA RYAN (FABULOUS VIDEO)
Bianca Ryan provides the song that accompanies this montage of pictures from the war in the Middle East. The pictures tell you a story about what war is like in Iraq and Afghanistan.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/aEinkQf4kRA&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
BALL BUSTIN' VIDEO AS APACHE HELICOPTERS SWOOP IN OVER AFGHANISTAN TO WIPE OUT WHAT IS LEFT OF THE TALIBAN THAT ARE LIVING (RAW LANGUAGE VIDEO)
The crew of an Apache helicopter swoops in to take out what is left of the Taliban that are living after a firefight in the mountains of Afghanistan.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/Y4eKuScpOmQ&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
FANTASTIC FOOTAGE AS YOU RIDE ALONG WITH AN APACHE LONGBOW CREW ON A MISSION INTO AFGHANISTAN (GREAT ACTION VIDEO)
This video gives you an entirely different perspective of the war in Afghanistan as you ride along with an Apache Longbow crew as they go on a mission deep inside Afghanistan searching and killing the Taliban.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/0uFu-wOO2as&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
AFGHANISTAN WAR LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE (MUST WATCH VIDEO)
This video is in high definition and shows our troops in Afghanistan in footage like you have never seen before. It is a brilliant piece of video.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/KRo3u0snnAw&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
KICK ASS VIDEO OF 172ND STRYKER BRIGADE FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN (DON'T MISS THIS VIDEO)
This video captures the 172nd Stryker Brigade on combat missions in Afghanistan. Yes, Virginia, there is still a war going on in Afghanistan even though the media ignores it.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/q3G_MHi8WRE&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
FACES OF WOMEN IN THE MILITARY: SONG: "WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD" BY LOUIS ARMSTRONG (MUST SEE VIDEO)
This video is a series of pictures---some old and some new--of women in the military. The video is enhanced by the song "What a Wonderful World" performed by Louis Armstrong. Video also contains picture of Jennifer Lynch.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/MXxexQN2eGo&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
TRIBUTE VIDEO TO THE WOMEN WHO DIED FIGHTING IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN (MUST SEE VIDEO)
Video is a compilation of pictures of women from the U.S. Armed Services who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/AuxEt7rwya4&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
Friday, May 1, 2009
VIDEO OF FEMALE SOLDIERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. YES, THEY ARE TOUGH AND BEAUTIFUL TOO (GREAT VIDEO)
This video is a salute the many female soldiers from around the world who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some are seasoned veterans and others are raw recruits, but these female soldiers ALL have one thing in common. They have been trained to fight.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/iCmppOwVPFg&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
M1A2 TANK IN ACTION IN IRAQ (BATTLE VIDEO)
Video shows an M1A2 tank in action in Iraq where the conditions are worsening as each day goes by.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/1hdJ5r12fao&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
BOOTS ON THE GROUND: LISTEN AND WATCH MEN OF U.S. PLATOON AS THEY GO ON A FOOT PATROL IN AFGHANISTAN. (GREAT VIDEO)
Video gives you an inside look at members of U.S. platoon as they go on a foot patrol in the dangerous mountains of Afghanistan.
TURN UP YOUR SOUND
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/mTNKdiiJ-ik&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
BRUTAL FIREFIGHT AS U.S. TROOPS COME UNDER ATTACK FROM TALIBAN IN PECH VALLEY AFGHANISTAN (TURN UP YOUR SOUND)
A platoon of U.S. soldiers comes under a brutal attack from the Taliban in Pech Valley Afghanistan. Be sure to turn up your sound.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/ov2uStfOkQI&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED VIDEO TO PLAY VIDEO
BREAKING NEWS: THREE U.S. TROOPS KILLED IN IRAQ (NEW YORK TIMES)
3 U.S. Troops Are Killed in Iraq Clash
By STEVEN LEE MYERS
Published: May 1, 2009
THE NEW YORK TIMES
http://tinyurl.com/co37oy
BAGHDAD — Two American marines and a sailor were killed during a military operation in Anbar, the vast province west of Baghdad where combat operations and violence have declined dramatically, the American military command said in a statement on Friday.
The three Americans died on Thursday “while conducting combat operations against enemy forces,” the statement said. It provided no other details about the circumstances of their deaths.
The deaths brought the total for American troops in April to 18, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, making it the deadliest month for American forces in Iraq since September.
Anbar is an overwhelmingly Sunni province that was the center of the insurgency in Iraq until tribal leaders joined forces with the American military and Iraqi government against Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and other extremists in 2006 and 2007. Since then the province has been one of the more stable in the country.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
VIOLENT FIREFIGHT IN KONAR PROVINCE AFGHANISTAN BETWEEN U.S. MILITARY AND TALIBAN (MUST SEE VIDEO)
Video shows a violent firefight between U.S. troops and Taliban in the volatile Konar Province in Afghanistan.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/DnVanFErbmE&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
DON'T MISS THIS VIDEO: RPG ATTACK ON U.S. TROOPS (RAW LANGUAGE)
Video captures the moment U.S. troops are caught in an RPG attack. One GI is wounded. The language can be rough for some.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/WLwIw4Stids&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
UNREAL VIDEO: IED ATTACK ON U.S. HUMVEE. (RAW LANGUAGE)
One of the members of this U.S. Humvee crew pulls out his camera just in time to get a shot of an IED going off that just misses their vehicle. WARNING: ROUGH LANGUAGE.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/sjiVUfQUOoc&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
BRUTAL COMBAT VIDEO: U.S. TROOP CONVOY AMBUSHED IN IRAQ. 7 GIS WOUNDED, 1 KILLED
This video shows a U.S. convoy patrol in Iraq coming under heavy fire from insurgents. Seven U.S. soldiers are wounded and one killed. The is a brutal video. WARNING: Rough language.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/cjgxvmmjRdI&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
BRILLIANT VIDEO OF OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN SET TO "HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN"
Video is a compilation of pictures from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars showing our troops in combat and weeping over the loss of their buddies. The music, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain," is the perfect blend to this video.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/Svfr7KiBL3o&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
KEEP SHOOTING UNTIL YOU SEE THE WHITE FLAG: FANTASTIC VIDEO OF ATTACK ON THE TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN
This video shows an attack on the Taliban in Afghanistan. The order is "to keep shooting until you see the white flag." Great action combat video with gritty language.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/5E6nRo4HDHQ&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
KICK ASS VIDEO OF A REAL LIFE FIREFIGHT IN AFGHANISTAN (WARNING: EXTREMELY RAW LANGUAGE)
Video is one of the best combat videos we have posted on this blog. The language is very rough, but this is the real war in Afghanistan and not a video game.
TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS
WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/v/Rr50Xl1SgXs&hl=en&fs=1
CLICK ON DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO
BREAKING NEWS: 17 KILLED IN TWO SUICIDE BOMB ATTACKS IN BAGHDAD
At least 17 killed in Baghdad bomb attacks
By DPAApr 29, 2009, 14:56 GMT
http://tinyurl.com/d36a7k
Baghdad - At least 17 people were killed in two car bomb attacks in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad neighbourhood of Sadr City, the satellite news network al-Arabiya reported Wednesday.
It was the latest in a series of deadly attacks targeting Shiite Muslims in Iraq. Suicide bombers killed more than 120 people over the space of two days last week.
In Mosul, some 400 kilometres north of Baghdad, police found the body of a beheaded girl in the city's eastern district of al-Karama, police there told the German Press Agency dpa on Wednesday.
In the eastern Mosul neighbourhood of al-Mathna, 'unknown gunmen' fatally shot a police officer in his house, police said.
The recent in rise in violence across across the country prompted the head of Iraq's tribal council, an influential body gathering the Sunni Arab tribes of Iraq, to call for the dismissal of Iraq's interior minister.
Baghdad's Buratha news agency on Wednesday reported that Ali Hatem, the leader of the Sunni, Arab al-Dulim tribe and the head of the council of Iraqi tribes, called on the government to fire Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani 'following a deterioration in the security' of Iraq's Sunni heartland in al-Anbar province and the rest of the country.
Hatem accused al-Bulani, who once belonged to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's movement, of being more interested in politics than in the security of the country, Buratha reported. Al-Bulani founded the Iraqi Constitutional Party in 2005, but resigned as its leader after becoming Minister of Interior a year later.
CASEY J. PORTER, IRAQ WAR VET AND VIDEO PRODUCER, HAS A BEEF WITH IVAW
Casey J. Porter was a MSgt in the Army and served several tours in Iraq. His films and videos of his experiences as a GI in Iraq have been posted on this blog in the past. You can see them here: http://www.youtube.com/caseyjporter
This is a letter Casey has written about his experience with the IVAW (http://ivaw.org/)
After serious and long-term consideration, I have decided to end my association with Iraq Veterans Against the War. This was not a choice I made overnight or lightly, but one I must make for many reasons. I would also like to make clear that I very much appreciate the help, support and friendship of many individuals within the membership of IVAW. My reasons for leaving IVAW are in regards to the organization as a whole. IVAW lacks the professionalism necessary to be taken seriously as a legitimate anti-war organization. Whether we like to think so or not, appearance is important in how society views an organization and it's membership. There is a time and place for t-shirts such as rallies, marches, and things like that. IVAW should be requiring it's membership to dress appropriately for TV interviews, whether it's a shirt and tie, or a uniform worn correctly. By doing so, IVAW would be taken seriously as an organization to contend with, rather than another radical activist movement. IVAW is losing its focus on the message/goal of ending the war in Iraq. The national organization for IVAW is highly ineffective and unwilling to take steps to protect the entire organization and their membership. There is a long string of people within the Anti-War Movement and IVAW who will get behind anyone willing to put their face in front of a camera without consideration as to whether that person or their story is in the best interest of the organization. I believe that the organization has too many members willing to push a different agenda, and is causing IVAW to lose focus on that goal. So much so, that people who question the policies and direction being taken over by a “socialist” agenda are attacked. When I first started speaking out, the local Austin Socialist activists were very supportive, and continue to be. They put some of there other causes to the side when helping us. Then if other IVAW members want to work with them, they do. The IVAW board can not seem to understand this very basic principle. Just to be clear, it's not about the “socialist” agenda, anymore than it would be about any other agenda, whether it was “republican” or “capitalist”. It's about having an organization with too many of one group of people at the helm who could steer IVAW towards their agenda, which covers many topics, rather than keeping the focus where it should be. That is, ending the war in Iraq. IVAW has shown a serious dereliction of duty in their lack of support for active duty military members. Many people have asked me what we can do to get soldiers to speak up within the military who are against the dual wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. First and foremost, they need someone to turn to, and that organization should be IVAW. However, I can tell you from my personal experience that IVAW, as an organization, does very little, if anything, to support those who stand up within the military. The most support I received from the organization was to have my films on the front page of the website for a short time. I was not looking for monetary donations, but support in the form of promotion via media contacts and also to have my videos used by IVAW to further our goal of ending the war in Iraq. I was willing to fall on my sword, Vlad the Impaler style, in order to bring proof of why the war needs to be ended on film as it happened. Instead, all of the media contacts I have, I had to develop from Iraq via a phone connection with a four second delay and night after night of sending out emails, making phone calls, and editing the films. I know people say I have a big ego and that I love attention, but the message is and has always been my top priority. The fact that IVAW did not promote my films does not hurt my ego, it hurts that they didn't see it fit to devote anytime to what I was doing other than keeping my films on their main page for no longer than a month. Another prime example of no support is Selena Coppa. She has been under immense pressure from her chain of command yet continues to fight hard and loud. When she decided to take on the Socialist element within IVAW she was crucified. The ISO has many Anti-War organizations it uses as fronts, and IVAW just might be one of them. It may not have started out that way, but it is now. These members are not concerned with ending the war in Iraq as they are much more concerned with pushing an overall Socialist agenda. Now Selena is under pressure from the very last group that should be on her case. To those on the board of IVAW that would silence Sgt. Coppa, your actions are disgraceful and you are the worst kind of people: cowards. There are other active duty soldiers that have spoken out and continue to do so. However, to the best of my knowledge, IVAW has done nothing to support them. I fear what will happen to these members, who are putting themselves out there as part of an organization, if the Army ever clamped down on them. I fear IVAW will be nowhere to be seen. I see no support from the organization, and therefore I cannot in good faith recommend joining IVAW to other active duty soldiers I know. I'm sure the Army will be happy to read that. IVAW has put itself, and its membership, into a dangerous legal position by retaining some “problem children” as members. For example, Carl Webb places IVAW in a very serious position through his advocacy of radical action from the safety of his keyboard. Advocating of sabotage and other such actions puts other people's lives at risk and IVAW by not condemning such rhetoric and disassociating itself from persons who advocate sabotage places all members in a compromised position. It now becomes dangerous to any active duty soldier who wants to speak out by giving the Army the ammunition it needs to paint IVAW as a radical and dangerous organization. If it went to trial, all a prosecutor would have to do is point out these posts and that alone could sway a Military Jury into believing the organization is radical and advocates sabotage. And yet, IVAW is silent on Carl Webb and his methods that place other soldiers in harm's way. There is a time for forgiveness and tolerance, but I cannot be part of an organization that will not take action when a member willfully advocates putting others in harm's way. By allowing people like Carl Webb to remain a part of IVAW, not only does IVAW have a serious legal issue, it also keeps other potential members from joining. Why doesn’t the board try to remove Carl? He lashes out at other members, like me for example, and pushes for dangerous and illegal action. But guess what side he is on in IVAW? The Socialist side. IVAW treats its members with inequity and lacks credibility. While an admitted rapist, and being a party to rape on more than one occasion, Matthis Chiroux, is accorded accolades for making a big deal out of something that required no action on his part to begin with. There are also allegations that he used donated money from IVAW members and activists to pay his rent and buy drugs. But the board does not seem to be concerned with investigating or kicking him out. They even posted his “confession” on the main page of the IVAW site! Where he only brings up the rapes not out of a moral awakening but because he got called out on it. Furthermore, he blames the Army for it. The Army mindset and training made him a rapist. That is just a load of garbage and any who believes that is a fool. I also talked to the Executive Director, Alex Bacon, about this. I brought up how this is public relations nightmare and that Matthis must be dealt with. But he believes that this will not be big issue. IVAW has tried that in the past with disastrous results. I am very disappointed to see the new Director being so soft on such a volatile issue. That IVAW threw so much support behind someone like Matthis, who only had to not show up to something and would have been fine, and left active duty soldiers with little to no support, is a travesty against the many fine people involved in this organization. I read time and time again "We are made up of many different people with many different ideas and we need to be respectful of those ideas." That translates into "We don't want to hurt anyone's feelings." No matter how badly some members conduct themselves, IVAW and the "movement" seems to handle everyone with kid gloves, when they should be acting to protect the organization and it's members. It also angers me to no end how people still support Matthis. Killing someone in the heat of battle, or reflecting on past actions and coming to terms with them and speaking out is one thing. But he only came out about these crimes because he had too. Rape is nowhere near the same as taking a life in combat. I am also surprised how many women still support him. Do you ladies have any self-respect? Let’s go find the women he knew were being raped, and raped himself, and let them read his letter and see if they buy his new found “wisdom”. Here is the real kicker: neither Matthis Chiroux or Carl Webb have violated IVAW’s ultr-loose fitting rules. That’s disturbing to me and there must be some sort of accountability. To those who would marginalize the board, IVAW national, or issues dealing with Matthis and Carl you are not seeing this for what it is. Saying that we should just focus on the local level is like saying “Don’t pay attention to what your elected leaders in D.C. do, just focus on your local city government.” IVAW national represents us all, and people must understand that. As of now, all the films I have made with “IVAW Ft. Hood Presents” and credits for “www.IVAW.org” will stay in place since they are reaching a large audience and I believe it is information that needs to be out there. I want my profile removed from the IVAW site. There will be more films and interviews to come regarding the war in Iraq, however they will be done as Casey J Porter the filmmaker, not as an IVAW member. The Deployment Game: Livin' FOBulous will at some point be taken down and re-edited to remove the dedication title from the beginning to remove any reference to Matthis Chiroux. I will also be contacting the producer of Winter Soldier: Austin and see what happens from there with that film. My next film, Return of the Camaro, will be out on May 4th. Fire Mission, the next film dealing with Iraq, will be out on July 20th. Considering the legal liabilities, lack of support, possible financial mismanagement, and a rapist amongst the membership, I am removing myself from this organization effective immediately. To those among you who have been and continue to be supportive of me, I thank you for all that you have done. There are many good people involved with IVAW and I wish you luck. I ask all media contacts to no longer refer to me as an IVAW member. Casey J Porter
