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by Sharon Grimes, W A M M
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Antiwar Candidate Wins Primary
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), who has served three terms and was the vice presidential candidate in 2000, lost by 48 to 52 percent in the primary August 8 to antiwar candidate Ned Lamont. Many believe his defeat is a sign of voter dissatisfaction with his support of the Iraq war. (Washington Post, August 8, 2006)
Medical Experts Address Trauma of War
An entire issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association dealt with topics of violence and human rights. Editorials and commentaries include “War and Children” and “Neuropsychological Changes Following Military Service in Iraq: Case Proven, But What Is the Significance?” (JAMA, August 2, 2006, Vol. 296, No. 5)
UN Panel: “End Secret Detentions”
In July, a UN human rights panel demanded that the United States immediately close all of its secret detention facilities. It also called for a moratorium on capital punishment and for better treatment of poor and black citizens in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. (StarTribune, July 29, 2006)
3000 March for Victims in Israel
“The antiwar movement in Israel seems to be inching forward, though the vast majority of Israelis continue to view us as traitors,” according to Gail Svirsky in Jerusalem. She says, “The international antiwar movement is a great source of solidarity for us here.” On July 29 about 3,000 people from 17 sponsoring organizations turned out for the Women Against War march to mourn the victims on both sides. The next day in Jerusalem, 100 people held a vigil to protest the killing of children and adults in Qana, Lebanon, and vigils were held all over Israel. (Coalition of Women for Peace e-mail, July 31, 2006)
Peace Activists Invited to Meet with Iraqi Parliament
After 28 days of fasting, antiwar protestors were invited to join members of the Iraqi Parliament to discuss peace plans for Iraq. The group had attempted to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki when he was in the United States for meetings with the Bush Administration and Congress. Cindy Sheehan was among the group that traveled to Amman, Jordan, on August 2. (StarTribune, August 7, 2006)
Efforts Support Conscientious Objectors
The strategy of Courage to Resist, which includes community members, veterans, and military families, aims to weaken “the pillars that maintain war and occupation . . . by supporting GI resistance, counter-recruitment and draft resistance, which cuts off the supply of troops.” On June 27, supporters in 30 cities across the country demonstrated on behalf of Lt. Ehren Watada, the first U.S. commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq with his unit. The first United Methodist Church in Tacoma, WA, declared last year that it is a sanctuary for military people who don’t want to go to Iraq. (Courage to Resist.
West Point Graduate Wins Case Against Stop-Loss Program
A West Point graduate who tried to resign twice from the Army and sued the government to be released from his commission, has been granted a dishonorable discharge. Cpt. Bradley E. Schwan fulfilled his eight-year commitment, but under the stop-loss program, the Army Reserve can order officers with vital skills to remain in the Army. The Army reviewed his case and decided it “was in the best interests of the soldier to grant the discharge.” Of the nearly 1,300 reserve officers who have asked to resign since 2004, 880 have been approved. (StarTribune, July 25, 2006)
Legislation Challenges Signing Statements
Sen. Arlen Specter said he would introduce legislation to allow Congress to sue President Bush in federal court for attaching signing statements to legislation. The American Bar Association says that the signing statements permit Bush to avoid his constitutional duty to either sign or veto legislation. (StarTribune, July 25, 2006)
Supreme Court Rules Against Special Tribunals
The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-3 decision on June 29 that President Bush did not have the authority to set up the war crimes tribunals at Guantanamo Bay and found the commissions invalid under both military justice law and the Geneva conventions. Amnesty International was one of the first organizations to condemn the president’s fall 2001 order that created the tribunals, and tens of thousands of activists worldwide organized against them. (StarTribune, June 30, 2006) |
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© 2006 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete September 2006 Index - click here
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