Developing: Active Troops ask Congress to End War

This morning, Norah O'Donnell, MSNBC Chief Washington Correspondent, reported this story (see CNN story below), adding (derogatorily) that MoveOn.org-- a liberal group, was behind the protest. Funny how she and her cohorts always mention that MoveOn and similar groups or program guests are (eeiiwww eiwww kooties!) "liberal" while never mentioning that most of the guests on their programs represent ultra conservative or neo-con publications and think tanks.

Double standard? Watch the news. Then you tell me.

-- The Unknown Candidate

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sixty five active duty service members are officially asking Congress to end the war in Iraq -- the first time active troops have done so since U.S. invasion began in 2003.

Three of the service members will hold a press conference Wednesday explaining their decision to send "Appeals for Redress" under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act to their members of Congress. Under the act, National Guard and Reservists can send communications about any subject to their member of Congress without punishment.

-CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney"

Photo credit: Norah O'Donnell. (MSNBC)

UPDATE:

Leave it to Keith Olbermann to follow up on stories buried by the rest of the media. Keith interviewed one of the anti-war soldiers on his show yesterday. Hope he continues to update us.

A transcript of Tuesday's interview follows (notice there is no mention of MoveOn.org as instigator):

OLBERMANN: The chorus of voices protesting the war in Iraq about to grow stronger yet, with the addition of active-duty service members, many of them having served in Iraq, now gearing up to ask Congress to end the U.S. involvement there, each one of them, dozens in all, with more signing up every day, planning to send a protected communication to an individual member of Congress, which is permitted under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act, without fear of reprisal.

The plan was hatched by a Navy seaman stationed in Norfolk, Virginia.

It‘s being coordinated by antiwar groups like Military Families Speak Out. It is comprised of rank and file servicemen, like Marine Sergeant Liam Madden, who was based at the Haditha Dam in Iraq for seven months, ending in February of last year, and is now stationed in Quantico in Virginia.

Sergeant Madden joining us now from Washington.

Thank you for your time tonight, sir.

SGT. LIAM MADDEN, U.S. MARINES: Thank you for having me, Keith.

OLBERMANN: This would seem to be a very drastic, risky step for an active-duty Marine to take. Let me begin by asking you what compelled you to make this decision, to take this decision? Was there something specific about the war in which you have fought that you find objectionable?

MADDEN: The only thing about the war that I don‘t like is, the more I find out about it, the less I like the war. I oppose the war because there is no benefit to the parties involved, including the American service members, the Iraqi people, and the American people. There‘s—it‘s a war for no benefit, in my eyes.

OLBERMANN: Let me ask you for your reaction to a comment that was made yesterday by the White House press secretary, Tony Snow, who was asked about the letter-writing campaign. He said not only that it‘s, quote, “not unusual for soldiers in a time of war to have some misgivings,” he also said that you and the other service men and women involved are, quote, “going to be able to get more press than the hundreds of thousands who have come back and said they are proud of their service.”

That would seem to imply, or he would be seemingly implying there, Sergeant, that you‘re not proud of your service. Is that the case, or is that statement a gross mischaracterization of how you feel about your service?

MADDEN: I think a gross mischaracterization is as well as you can put it, Keith. I feel that I‘m participating in democracy, and that‘s what citizens of a democratic land should do. And if Mr. Snow has a problem with that, then he should know that I feel I‘ve protected democracy more by appealing to my congressman than I did when I defended Iraq.

OLBERMANN: But you are personally proud of what you did in Iraq, and what your fellow servicemen did, in terms of your service to your country?

MADDEN: I‘m proud of serving with fellow Marines. But I oppose the war. The only reason I got up to work every day was to help my Marines, to help the Marines next to me.

OLBERMANN: That‘s a pretty damn good reason.

Technically, under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act, you‘re free from fear of reprisal. But do you worry that, however subtly, perhaps, your commanding officers, other service members, might treat you differently because you have made the decision to speak out?

MADDEN: I don‘t think you can escape getting treated differently, just because of how much attention this could potentially draw. But I don‘t fear negativity so much. I don‘t really care. It‘s something I feel strongly about. And if people don‘t step out of their comfort zones and speak up, then nothing will ever get done.

And I have to give credit where credit is due. No one in my chain of command has stopped me from feeling the way I feel. They may not agree with my opinions, but they respect my right to voice my opinion.

OLBERMANN: Good for them, too.

Sergeant, is this campaign aimed at the current Congress two weeks before an election, or is it really aimed at the next Congress, which would presumably be the one that might get something done in this regard?

MADDEN: It is definitely aimed at the next Congress. We want to set the tone. We want this to be the priority. They need to at least see that there are service members who have serious, legitimate misgivings about this war.

OLBERMANN: Do you have a specific solution to it? Or what would you like to see happen? Is it a timetable for withdrawal? Is it immediate withdrawal? Does it matter to you, as long as there‘s a commitment to get out?

MADDEN: I think within three months of the next Congress, we should be able to get out.

OLBERMANN: Sergeant Liam Madden, great thanks for your time.

MADDEN: Thank you, Keith.

OLBERMANN: Many thanks for your service to this country, sir.

Also See:

• Active-Duty Troops Voice Their Dissent from US Policy in Iraq

Technorati tags: Iraq, Military, Moveon.org, anti-war, Military Whistleblower Protection Act, Congress, war protest, news, commentary, Norah O'Donnell, MSNBC