"Free Education For The Military"

How does that subject title grab everyone?

Think about it, service to Country an Guaranteed an Education, Free of Charge, and possibly more.

Now don't Peak!

Still not Peaking!

You're not one those who read from the bottom up are you?

OK here's the deal:

Armed forces 'get free education'

Service personnel are to be given university education free of charge after they end their duty with the armed forces, it has been reported.

According to the News of the World, personnel who complete six years service in the Army, Royal Navy or RAF will qualify for the scheme.

The government will pay tuition fees to study for GCSEs, A-levels, university degrees or other qualifications.

The measure is thought to be in Thursday's Armed Forces Command Paper.

This document will deal with a whole range of welfare issues affecting soldiers, sailors and airmen.

Got that last line, Will deal with a Whole Range of Welfare Issues Affecting Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen!

And there's abit more in the short pre-report.

God Bless Great Britain!!
(He/She gave up on America a long time ago!)

International Criminal Tribunal - U.S. Torture?

What Johnathan Turley says, with heavy heart and disbelief we've gone this far as a Country, should be brought into public discussion and possible implementation, as our Representatives seem to be hell bent on going along with the administrations shredding of the Constitution and the Laws of this Country!


This is not only about crimes that might have been committed by the administration and others, In Our Names, this is about the possible destruction of our Constitution and Moral Standing as a Democracy, by our highest leaders and our representatives as well as others we employ that work for and under the Laws that we as a Nation demand be followed by all and condemn others for breaking the International Laws we helped establish.


The book by Jane Mayer mentioned in the Video: The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How The War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals


We are all responsible for what we allow those we hire to lead and work for us do, especially when against our Laws and International Law and we let it go Unchallenged, we become the participants of those actions and as guilty as those who might have committed illegal acts!


War Crimes


Countdown


I wasn't there, and neither were anyone else alive today in this country, when our Constitution was hammered out, we're not privy to the discussions, as a group and privately.


But I do know what I've been taught to believe we are as a Nation! I've been around a long time, and have heard us condemn others, over and over, for their Human Rights Violations and suspected International and Internal Criminal Activities. I've watched as our Government Agencies, CIA, Intelligence, have gone against the rule of Law and our own Condemnations of others!


I served in this Countries Military and in a Conflict when our Government was Lying to the Country, I participated in the destruction of another's country and it's people based on those lies, that this Country still hasn't come to terms with!


We are repeating that time and those lies as well as our actions have been compounded ten fold, if not more, and this time is even more dangerous for us and this planets people because of our actions and those lies!


We are bound by our Constitution and Moral Obligation to hold all who developed and expanded those lies and actions to be held Accountable, for as a Nation they are Us!


Have I, and by extension All Of Us, been living an even bigger Lie as to what this Country believes it is as we've Allowed the handful of those we employ do the total opposite of those beliefs, I Hope Not!


Tell the world: My America Doesn't Torture!

From Carissa Picard - Military Spouces for Change

If there is one more debate or town hall before the general election, it should be before an audience composed of the men and women whose service and sacrifice ensure that these events continue through their defense of our country and of our Constitution; particularly after six years of war.
Carissa

Obama Won’t Commit to Event at Military Base

A coalition of military groups is planning a nationally televised town-hall-style meeting with the presidential candidates near Fort Hood, Tex., the largest active-duty military installation in the country. But so far, only Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee, has agreed to attend.

I want to Actually see and hear How Progressive everyone Thinks they are. Contact the Obama Campaign and Demand that he participates in this Forum. Show the Soldiers and Their Families your Real Support!!!!

Brave New Foundation: "In Their Boots" Episode 2- Webcasts

The first episode of the groundbreaking new live webcast "In Their Boots" aired on Wednesday, 2 July 2008, with host Jan Bender as he explored the lives of the Babin family as they care for their wounded veteran son Alan. That premeir show was Part 1 on Alan and the Babin family, Part 2 aired this past wednesday, 7-9-08.

These webcasts will air, online, every wednesday at 4pm Pacific/5 Mountain/6 Central/7 Eastern at In Their Boots, also can be viewed at UStream TV.

You will have the opportunity to hear the stories from these servicemembers, learn about organizations that are helping, and find out how you can help as well.

These webcasts bring us into the lives of those, and their families, who have served this Nation and have been wounded in the occupations and the changes that has brought about for them. As well as introduce us, and the many returning Veterans, and their families, to some of the help that exists for them by bringing representatives of these existing groups into the conversation, Live.

Visit the "In Their Boots" main site to view, find out more about the episodes to come, you can also interact live with each episode, and to find out much more, as well as signing up for their newsletter as a reminder for the next show.

"Beating the Odds - Chapter 2"

Alan Babin
Cpl. Alan Babin Jr., a combat medic in Iraq, was running to the aid of a fellow soldier when he was hit by hostile fire. Alan took a bullet in his stomach in the midst of firefight so severe that it prevented Alan’s fellow soldiers from coming to his aid, so he lay there for three hours before help could arrive. Alan’s prognosis was grim. Army medics didn’t think he would live. Then doctors said, at best, he’d be paralyzed from the neck down. Alan underwent more than 70 surgeries, including five brain surgeries, and suffered a stroke. Since that time, with his mother, Rosie, by his side, Alan has made incredible progress, far surpassing his doctors’ expectations. Now, Alan can use his arms, he can stand, and he’s starting to move his legs—he’s even rock climbed. And with his mother’s help, he could soon be walking again some day soon.


Rosie Babin
Rosie Babin wears a lot of hats. As her daughter Christy says, "My mom's our everything--she's our cheerleader, our mom, our organizer." She's also a wife, and for many years managed an accounting firm near their home in Round Rock, Texas. Five years ago, Rosie also became her son Alan's full-time caretaker after he was hit in the stomach by hostile fire in Iraq and became paralyzed. At that point, Rosie's life was completely derailed. She quit her job, packed up her life, and moved near Walter Reed Medical Center where Alan was being treated. Rosie's been by Alan’s side every since as his cheerleader, his mom, and his organizer. She's been his everything, and because of it, Alan has far surpassed his doctor's expectations. Rosie's gotten him to rock climb, scuba dive, and ski. Now she's determined to help him walk again.

Special Guests
Alan Babin
Disabled Veteran

Christy Babin
Alan's Sister

Sandy Trombetta
National Director and Founder
VA National Winter Sports Clinic

Adrian Atizado
Assistant National Legislative Director
Disabled American Veterans

If you missed the premeir show on July 2nd:

Premeir: "Beating the Odds" - Chapter 1

Or View Here

We are proud of what we have put together and we hope that you all tune in to see this. Please let us know what you think of it as well. And if you miss any part of the episode, be sure to check it out on our site: In Their Boots. We plan on producing a new episode every Wednesday, live at 4pm Pacific.

This coming wednesday, 7-16-08, they will be airing a show called "Home Coming"

Kim Roy has spent the last fifteen months taking care of her two young boys while her husband,
Justin, was away in Afghanistan. Now he's coming home.

Kim Roy
Kim Roy of Yelm, Washington, is an intrepid Army wife with her hands full. While her husband, Justin, is deployed in Afghanistan, she’s raising two energetic sons by herself: Danny, 2, and Maddox, less than a year old. Justin is on his second deployment. He’s been gone for 15 months and the longer he’s gone, the more Kim lives for those mid-day phone calls and instant messenger sessions with her husband. And though she’s looking forward to Justin coming home, she knows there’ll be some adjustment as he re-learns how to be a father.

Justin Roy
Army Officer Justin Roy is based in Fort Lewis, Washington. Officer Roy has been on his second deployment in Afghanistan for the past fifteen months. He’ll be returning home soon to his wife Kim and his young boys, Danny and Maddox. He's excited to reunite with his family, but also a little nervous about re-acquainting himself with his son and assuming the father role that he's been unable to maintain while serving in Afghanistan for over a year.

Here is a primer video of the upcoming show:

You can find a few more clips at the link directly above.

You can find a page at their site called Solutions, this gives a list of the organizations their guest are from and others as well, that the returning Veterans and their Families can contact and for others to find out and explore what they do in helping those who serve this country and need further help because of their disabilities garnered by that service.

For those of you who might produce film and documentaries, or are students and amateurs of same visit Brave New Theaters a website that brings together a global network of screening hosts and filmmakers by providing services to both so they can reach more people. This site emphasizes films with a political message. Also their affiliate sites Brave New Foundation.

For the rest of us their Brave New Theaters allows us to view the trailers and sign up to host a viewing of these Documentaries and Films, as well as to Purchasing them, where you'll find Over 180 Films for screenings.

On Veterans Health
Diane Rehm 7-10-08

Martin Schram: "Vets Under Siege" (Thomas Dunne Books)

An award-winning journalist and author exposes mistreatment of American servicemen and women by the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
Guests

Martin Schram, author of five books, and former national affairs correspondent for the Washington Post. His nationally syndicated column appears in more than 400 newspapers

You can Listen with Windows Media Player

Or

With Real Media Player

His Book

Vets Under Siege: How America Deceives and Dishonors Those Who Fight Our Battles

Press Release: Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall‏

MEDIA ADVISORY



Military and Veteran Advocates Invite Senators McCain and Obama to Fort Hood Texas

Presidential Town Hall to Focus on Military and Veterans

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Carissa Picard, Managing Director, 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, 254.554.1513, e-mail to Hood Townhall.

2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall

Monday August 11, 2008, 9:00 pm (EST)

Bell County Expo Center

301 West Loop 121

Belton, Texas 76513

Hosted by the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium

To be carried live on the CBS Television Network.

A diverse group of non-profit organizations dedicated to serving active military, veterans, their families and their survivors has come together to invite the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to Fort Hood, Texas, for an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America's military and veteran community. The CBS television network has agreed to produce and broadcast the town hall meeting in prime time that evening.

Fort Hood is the largest U.S. military installation in the world and deploys the most soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of our continuing Global War on Terror. Consequently, the Consortium cannot imagine a more appropriate audience—or a more compelling location—for this event.

This Consortium represents organizations that provide services and support to our service members, veterans, wounded warriors, and their families. "We believe if there is one more debate or town hall before the general election, it should be before an audience comprised of the men and women whose service and sacrifice ensure that these events continue through their defense of our country and of our Constitution," said Carissa Picard, lead organizer and military spouse.

"This forum is NOT about being for the war in Iraq or against the war in Iraq. This is about the fact that there is a war in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, and there are consequences to that war—consequences for our service members, for their families, for our country. These candidates are asking to be elected the next Commander-in-Chief and we believe that our audience, as well as the American public, will be extremely interested in knowing what they have to say about these issues."

In November 2004, the President was elected by a majority of 126 million votes. Today, approximately 27 million American adults are veterans. If we assume half are married, then there are approximately 40 million voters intimately aware of the issues affecting veterans and their families. Meanwhile, there are approximately 2.6 million Americans currently serving in our Armed Forces, either full or part-time. If you include their spouses, then we will have an additional 4 million voters sensitive to the needs of our veterans, wounded warriors, and military families.

In all, the veteran and military communities total approximately 44 million Americans—almost a quarter of the overall voting population and more than one- third of the total voting participation in 2004.

"The sacrifices these families endure are not abstract; they are borne out in illness, injury, post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, economic hardship, the daily agony of separation from family and friends; and finally, the ultimate sacrifice of our Gold Star families. Furthermore, those citizens who are not themselves members of the military and veteran community are eager to see that those who shoulder the enormous strain of wartime service are afforded the meaningful thanks of a grateful nation." adds Amy Fairweather, director of the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, a group of organizations dedicated to improving services for military, veterans, families and survivors, many of whom have joined to invite the candidates to this historic forum.

The Consortium includes a diverse group of veteran and military service organizations including Disabled Veterans of America, the Brain Injury Association of America, and Sentinels of Freedom. These groups are working in partnership with the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, state and local governments, and faith and community based organizations to deliver services and support to our military, veterans and families.

Picard adds that, "We sincerely hope the candidates will accept our invitation. We hope this event will remind American voters in November that his or her choice will have a significant impact on the lives and well-being of millions of service members, veterans, wounded warriors, and military families—including children."

Consortium Members

American Veterans (AMVETS)

Jim King, Executive Director

Brain Injury Association of America

Laura A. Schiebelhut, Director of Government Affairs

Disabled Veterans of America (DAV)

David W. Gorman, Executive Director

Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States

MSG (Ret.) Michael P. Cline

Executive Director

Fleet Reserve Association

Joseph L. Barnes, CAE, ABC

National Executive Director

Military Officers Assn. of America

VADM Norb Ryan, Jr. (USN-Ret.), President

Military Order of the Purple Heart

Hershel Gober, National Legislative Director

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network

Deborah Kloeppel, CEO

National Spinal Cord Injury Assn (NSCIA)

Marcie Roth, President/CEO

The Sanctuary International

Jon Norsworthy, Director

Veterans for Common Sense

Paul Sullivan, Executive Director

Veterans United for Truth

Bob Handy, HMC USN Ret, Chair

Vietnam Veterans of America

Texas State Council

Luther "Buster" Newberry, President

Veterans Village

Nadia McCaffrey, President/Founder

WELLsville Veterans Project

Kristin Van Huysen, President/Founder

Members of the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

Air Compassion for Veterans

Richard Love, Chairman

American Pain Foundation

Tamara Sloan Anderson, Program Development Director

Armed Services YMCA

S. Frank Gallo, National Executive Director

Brave New Foundation

Jim Miller, Executive Director

CA National Guard

Jon Wilson, Financial Assistance Programs Manager

Cause

Barbara Lau, Executive Director

Coming Home Project

Dr. Joe Bobrow, Executive Director

Dallas Foundation

Laura Smith, Director, Community Philanthropy

Homes for Our Troops

John Gonsalves, President

Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

Karen Guenther, Executive Director

New Directions

Toni Reinis, Executive Director

One Freedom

Elizabeth Hawkins, Executive Director

Pathway Home

Fred Gusman, Executive Director

Project: Return 2 Work

Rob Brazell, President

Salvation Army Liberty Program

David K. Leonard, Coordinator

Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation

Mike Conklin, President

Swords to Plowshare

Michael Blecker, Executive Director

TAPS

Bonnie Carroll, Founder

TIRR Foundation Project Victory

Cynthia Atkins, Executive Director

Vets 4 Vets

Jim Driscoll, Coordinator

Babette Maxwell, co-founder and Executive Editor of Military Spouse Magazine, is graciously donating her time and talent as the Town Hall's Military Family advisor

---------

Carissa Picard, Esq.
2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium
Managing Director
254.554.1513
254.213.1101
Hood Townhall

AFGE Says McCain Wrong on Veterans Health Care {Update2}

Union Representing VA Workers Launch Nationwide Radio Campaign, Web Site and Viral Videos for Full VA Funding

This week, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) launched a nationwide radio ad campaign raising serious concerns about Senator McCain's commitment to veterans' health care. In addition to the radio ads, AFGE, which represents employees in the Department of Veterans Affairs, launched a Web site, Fund The VA, and a series of YouTube ads featuring union veterans voicing their concerns about McCain's controversial veterans health care platform.

The only way anything has gotten done, for those who make the riches for others, the worker, is through organizing! While our Capitalists system is not supposed to have developed that way, It Has! And with the use of fear, and law, those who reap the power, and wealth, have successfully beat down the orginizing of the worker seeking the better conditions and what is right for a truely successful economic climate.

This fight for what the Country owes those who Serve It has been extremely long and marked with failures, few successes, for those fighting it!

"As one of the most prominent veterans in the country and the ranking minority member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator McCain is now in a position to do something that will have a long range impact on the health care of his fellow veterans," says AFGE President John Gage. "We feel strongly that the proposals made by McCain, one of the nation's most high profile veterans, are misguided and unjust."

Sen. McCain has stated that he plans to offer veterans' vouchers to receive care at private, for-profit health care facilities - a move that would be would be tantamount to dismantling the current Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which is widely regarded as the nation's foremost medical health care system.

And in this so called Wealthiest Nation on this Planet that system still Fails and should be the Best ever devised as to care and research to benefit not only the Veteran but the planets population as well, not in caring for all but in the developements that care would bring forth!

"would be the end of the VA - the end of the promise and the start of a huge boondoggle for big corporations."

While there are some successes we've already been seeing the failures of privatization, of that which should be benefitting a society, has reaped, costing more in cleaning up those failures or loosing completely in the corruption that prevails.

"While the VA faces challenges, many of its short falls can be directly attributed to a lack of funding,"

Always lacking in the funding needed that lack has ballooned these last twelve plus years, and that funding and oversite comes out of Congress!

For more information visit Fund The VA

From One Vet to Another

AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including 160,000 employees in the Department of Veterans of Affairs.

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Remember, whatever happens as to the Care of the Veteran isn't the Fault of those who are working to provide that care, it comes from the Top on Down! The Executive Administrations of the Federal Government, the Congresses of the Federal Goverment, the Political Appointees heading up the Agencies of the Federal Government, and those hired to Administrative Positions by the Political Appointees in those Agencies.

And that Federal Government Is You!

AFL-CIO TO LAUNCH ANTI-MCCAIN AD

From NBC's Mark Murray

First Read has confirmed that the AFL-CIO will begin airing a new TV ad tomorrow in the battleground states of Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin that hits McCain on Iraq and veterans' issues. The 30-second ad, which will run for three weeks, features Vietnam vet Jim Wasser.

Diane Rehm Today

Martin Schram: "Vets Under Siege" (Thomas Dunne Books)

An award-winning journalist and author exposes mistreatment of American servicemen and women by the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
Guests

Martin Schram, author of five books, and former national affairs correspondent for the Washington Post. His nationally syndicated column appears in more than 400 newspapers

You can Listen with Windows Media Player

Or

With Real Media Player

His Book

Vets Under Siege: How America Deceives and Dishonors Those Who Fight Our Battles

Summer Reading: A Childrens Book for You Adults

As we wait for the many coming books, I'm sure more will be surfacing, as many try to cleanse their souls, of these last eight years plus, in seeking their higher kingdom, we might have the time to take this seemingly telling descriptive tale into the fold of good reading. We could even make the copies a collective item reminding us, in a comfortable way, of what we've been put through, us and the rest of the world. Comfortable because it might not enrage as we read and study the pictures, like the hard reality of the history will.

And I give you the title right off, Intriqued?

I didn't catch this when it aired, but while a visit to the NPR site, to relisten to another report, I caught this little tidbit in their list.

All Things Considered had it on yesterday, July 8.

The full title is: Goodnight Bush: A Parody.

It's a riff of the Margaret Wise Brown's classic children's book Goodnight Moon and satirizes the Bush administration.

But look closer and you'll see that the painting over the fireplace shows an oil derrick with stealth bombers flying around it.

In the fireplace, there's a ballot box burning that says, "Florida 2000."

And snaking around the side of the fireplace is a tiny microphone.

In place of the bunny rabbit character in the children's book, a childlike George Bush is tucked safely in bed "surrounded by toys that represent different facets of the Bush administration's legacy," Golan says.

A tiny Osama bin Laden peeks out from many of the pages, and a shotgun-toting Dick Cheney whispers, "Hush."

"The book obviously isn't for children," Origen says. "At the same time, it lets us look at the past eight years through the eyes of a child.

And it lets us see how far Bush's reality is from the reality anyone would want for their children."

The authors say the book is illustrated with "naked simplicity" to show respect and sensitivity.

You can take a listen in with this link to bring up their player

I just ordered my copy before writing this, I'm Intriqued, it looks like a fun, but serious, look at the state we find our country, and our world standing, today and for the forseeable future, at 59 that future should cover any time I have left, plus!!

WAR Powers

Putting them back where they belong comes from an Op-Ed written by James A. Baker III and Warren Christopher in the New York Times today, 7-08-08.

They led a bipartison group, the National War Powers Commission, they concluded:

the law purporting to govern the decision to engage in war — the 1973 War Powers Resolution — should be replaced by a new law that would, except for emergencies, require the president and Congressional leaders to discuss the matter before going to war.

They are right in their conclusion, for the 1973 resolution has been largely ignored, especially in the extreme failed policies we find ourselves in now.

But even if it were a tougher less questionable resolution, many thinking it's Unconstitutional or at least parts of, I wonder if it would have even been forcefully upheld leading up to the debacles we created. Congress, at the time, was controlled by the same political party as the administration that wanted to abandon Afganistan and Invade Iraq, word was if there were meetings the other party leaders, in both houses, were left out. That congress didn't do much in holding the nesscessary debates, the members were selling the administration line, word for word, and they didn't set about the needed funding nor oversite for returning Veterans nor expectation of long term occupations, and that's just a few of the oversites not carried out by a Congress that was supposed to be doing the Peoples work. Since than they have become Obstructionists in anything the administration wants them to block. Still towing the line for Politics not for Country, nor National Security!

Poll: Public wants Congress's OK on war

Americans now as in the past 35 years think the president needs Congress' OK before sending troops to war or bombing suspected terrorists, a poll indicates.

And most actually think that this administration got the consent of Congress to wage a Pre-Emptive War!

The AP has another quick report on this comissions findings.

I'm somewhat left a tad speachless that Baker is coming out with the requested findings, I lost respect for him and his personal goals a long time ago, but the Law does need a Total Overhaul and the powers of the Executive placed in Check when it comes to War especially.

And with all that has come out already the Country needs to follow what the Constitution Clearly States as to Accountability for Failed actions taken by the Executive Branch, from the President on Down to Congress!

A Just Foreign Policy

YES Magazine, Summer '08 Edition, has a number of really good articles, and an interview, that should be read and obsorbed as to some of what we should be putting into public discussion as we try to turn this ship of state around and head in a direction that should already have been. These articles touch on a number of important issues, Very Important, not only for us, as a country, but our place in the world and for the world as a whole. They are also a matter of our Security and the Security of the planet

This one with Shultz might sound abit familiar for any who heard him talking when they returned from this conferance, but this is an Extremely Important subject and not only for us, and our National Security but the Security of everyone.

George Shultz: No Nuclear Weapons
Nuclear weapons abolition is not only possible, but necessary for our security and perhaps even our survival.

It starts of thus:

George Shultz was there when nuclear disarmament slipped through our fingers. Today, he says, action is even more urgent. Sarah van Gelder interviews George Shultz, former Secretary of State.

This near the end stood out:

Shultz: I’m not trying to prescribe for the next president. We’re trying to get the building blocks ready. We’ve talked to people from some other countries, and they’re interested enough so that if the United States, working with Russia, were to take this initiative and get other people to join, it might be pretty exciting. And it might once again put us in the role of doing something that people feel good about.

"Doing someting the people feel good about." Not just something, for we have an awful lot to do, but this issue would bring back much of what we lost in our Moral Standing as a world neighbor. The Neo-Cons, or whatever label one would smack on them, have not only destroyed the arms talk tables, they are developing other uses, under the Nuclear Umbrella, for ordinance, with no worry as to the damage it will inflict nor the long term lasting effects, all for the Now, in Power and Blood Wealth!

Smart Security and the End of War
David Korten's thoughts on a just foreign policy and an emergent social movement calling the world’s parliaments to adopt the principles of Article 9 added to the Japanese Constitution following World War II.

This touches on a number of important issues and leads off thus:

David Korten’s thoughts on a just foreign policy (the theme of the summer 2008 issue of YES! Magazine). “We humans have arrived at a defining moment. We must bring ourselves into balance with one another and Earth or suffer the consequences of social and environmental collapse. It creates a unique opportunity for bold action to end war as an instrument of foreign policy, convert to a peace economy, and create a world that works for all.”

He breaks this down to topics on:

The End of Excess

A Defining Challenge

The Last Superpower

Getting Smart

A Global Movement

A Smart Security Policy for the United States

And ends it with this:

It is an opportunity to at once increase our security, improve the quality of our lives, and regain a position of principled global leadership.

Talking NAFTA and Immigration.

Reclaiming Corn and Culture
For 14 years, NAFTA has displaced farmers and spurred migration. The answer from Mexico’s grassroots: co-ops and fair trade.

Mexicans doing it themselves, and to help solve the immigration problems We should be helping them.

They have sounded their voices loudly in Mexico’s capital, while quietly developing their own answers to NAFTA in farming communities throughout the country—working models of “fair trade” that consider people and the environment, not just profit margins.

Who are the losers.

By 2003, 1.3 million Mexican peasants had lost their livelihoods because of NAFTA. Many of the displaced farmers came north in search of work. Mexican migration to the U.S. increased an estimated 75 percent in the five years after the trade agreement took effect.

And in the name of Corporate, not to mention others seeking lowscale wage earners, profits and to force wages down, what has been presently going on.

Pickard has been a vocal critic of a new trade initiative under the Bush Administration that broadens NAFTA with increased emphasis on border security and corporate access to natural resources. The initiative, called the “Security and Prosperity Partnership,” or SPP, was launched two years ago in a series of negotiations with the Mexican and Canadian governments. Because the SPP is not a treaty, there is no congressional oversight, nor any process for citizen comment. The only input comes from a council of 30 advisors, ten selected by each government. The list reads like a Who’s Who of corporate North America, including the CEOs of Bell Canada, Chevron, Ford, General Electric, General Motors, Home Depot/Canada, Kimberly-Clark/Mexico, Lockheed Martin, Scotiabank, and Wal-Mart.

Just the Facts: Military Spending versus Foreign Aid
The U.S. spends piles of money on foreign aid, right? See how the spending actually stacks up.

Just The Facts Poster in PDF

The top link above gives a smaller version of the tables on spending, the PDF can be downloaded and saved.

Raiding the War Chest
How to cut billions in unneeded weapons systems—and redirect the money towards health care, the economy, and climate.

It’s called “defense” spending, but how much of it is actually about defense? Here’s how we could save billions, and still have billions left to make the U.S. and the world more secure.

This speaks for itself, our continuing wasteful Huge and ever growing Defense Budgets, Questions Never Asked, Schrugs when coruption comes to light, and back to continuing growth of budgets, lining the pockets of the few rather than giving Us what we led to believe we are getting.

An economy slouching toward recession, or—depending on who you talk to—already there, has produced two seemingly contradictory effects. It has pushed the worst foreign policy disaster in U.S. history off the top of the list of citizen concerns. And it has simultaneously gotten those citizens, and even their members of Congress, talking much more about that disaster’s economic costs.

And how much are the 'Look the other way' Representatives, Our Representatives, reaping.

Since 2001 the Administration’s military budgets have more than doubled. Congress has approved every one, sometimes even expanding them a bit

No accountability for the "Worst Foreign Policy Disaster in U.S. History!", just rubber stamp what's requested, and tack on more, to continue the disaster, the disaster not only for us but especially for those we reaped it upon

Just some of what should be eleminated.

A half-dozen items that top this list are:

* The F/A 22 Raptor:
An obsolete, ever-more-costly aircraft designed to counter a Soviet model that was never built.

* Ballistic Missile Defense:
A system that doesn’t work for a threat that doesn’t exist.

* Virginia-Class Submarine:
Any conceivable mission for this new sub can be handled by the existing fleet.

* DD(G-1000) Destroyer:
Another cost-escalating program whose missions are well-covered by existing ships.

* V-22 Osprey:
This hybrid plane-helicopter is being rushed into service in Iraq despite safety, technical, and cost problems, both old and new.

* C-130J transport plane:
Has 168 documented deficiencies that render it unsafe.

And closes with this:

And while we’re repairing the damage to our relations with the rest of the world, we will need to put some of the money into repairing the social contract with our own citizens, by investing in our battered economy.

Just investing in our infrastructure would reap benefits across a number of area's, and investing in other much needed area's would expand those benefits and keep expanding them.

You can go here:

Theme Guide :: A Just Foreign Policy

To catch the ones above and a few more, all in the same issue, and online.

Superpower? Get Over It

Five years into the occupation of Iraq, the American public has had it. Add in an overstretched economy, spreading nuclear arms, climate disruption, and scrambles for scarce resources, and many are ready to ditch the superpower role and join a world of equals to confront our common challenges.

bet you thought I was through passing on some good reads and important information, well I'm not

The ACLU Releases Navy Files On Civilian Casualties In Iraq War (7/2/2008), this will take you to the Press Release.

Public Has A Right To Unfiltered Information About The Human Cost Of War, ACLU Says

Today's documents are available online

Attorneys involved in this project are Bargzie, Ben Wizner and Jameel Jaffer of the ACLU National Security Project. In a separate lawsuit, the ACLU sued for records concerning the abuse of prisoners held by U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo Bay. To date, that request has resulted in the release of more than 100,000 pages, all of which are available online

And another documentary of importance:

The Trailor

ON THE LINE is an inside look at the people behind one of the largest nonviolent movements in America today: the movement to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC, a U.S. Army school that trains Latin American soldiers. In a world where politics, passion, and Constitutional rights collide, protesters discuss their activism, the dark side of U.S. foreign policy, and the challenges of protesting since 9/11.

The principal cast includes:

* Martin Sheen, actor

* Susan Sarandon, actor

* Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Founder of School of the Americas Watch

* John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman

* Bob Barr, political analyst and former US Congressman

* Gerry Weber, ACLU-Georgia

The film is 55 minutes long.

"Those who make peaceful evolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable." -- John F. Kennedy

"On The Line"

What happens when a group of activists, priests, celebrities, and students risk arrest to protest U.S. foreign policy in Latin America?




The Trailor



ON THE LINE is an inside look at the people behind one of the largest nonviolent movements in America today: the movement to close the School of the Americas/WHINSEC, a U.S. Army school that trains Latin American soldiers. In a world where politics, passion, and Constitutional rights collide, protesters discuss their activism, the dark side of U.S. foreign policy, and the challenges of protesting since 9/11.

The principal cast includes:

* Martin Sheen, actor

* Susan Sarandon, actor

* Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Founder of School of the Americas Watch

* John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman

* Bob Barr, political analyst and former US Congressman

* Gerry Weber, ACLU-Georgia


The film is 55 minutes long.

How do Iranians react to threats of attack?

Triita Parsi talks about the affect of threats on Iranian public opinion



Trita Parsi was born in Iran and grew up in Sweden. He earned a Master's Degree in International Relations at Uppsala University, a second Master's Degree in Economics at Stockholm School of Economics and a PhD in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University SAIS. He has served as an advisor to Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH18) on Middle East issues and is a co-founder and current President of the National Iranian American Council . Dr. Parsi is the author of Treacherous Alliance - The Secret Dealings of Iran, Israel and the United States (Yale University Press, 2007). He has followed Middle East politics for more than a decade, both through work in the field, and through extensive experience on Capitol Hill and the United Nations.

“Changing Us”

Counseling and medication weren’t enough to help Laef Fox recover from his grim war experience in Iraq, and drugs and alcohol didn’t work either, so he tried making a movie instead.

There's a new Documentary out, that was shown in a premeir private showing on July 4th in Denver.

As the quote above states it was made, with help, by Laef Fox an Iraq Conflict Veteran, with footage Fox shot while in Iraq.

Fox was in Iraq for six months starting in April 2003, just after the invasion began.

“I had a lot of unexpected explosions go off near me and random gunshots,” he said. When he came home the Veterans Administration diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder and he was given a partial disability.

Like many who return from our invasions and occupations Fox was haunted by his experiances and tried to rid his mind of the recurring thoughts in the wrong way.

“Alcoholism and anger almost overcame me completely,” he said, but a supportive family and girlfriend pushed him to get treatment.

“The treatment helped me climb from the hole I was in,” he said.

For some that's a deep dark hole that few understand and it can't be explained to others, except those who have experianced the real reality of War themselves, the soldiers who fight it, and the civilians in the countries invaded and occupied, and not only those we are a part of but all.

The name of this documentary is the subject title “Changing Us”, where if you use the link you can view the trailer of as well as more information.

The Trailor

The quotes I've taken above come from an Army Times article about Laef and this documentary, Iraq vet’s movie helps him cope.

His movie isn’t sensational, although it includes some nighttime scenes of his convoy being attacked. It is mainly vignettes of what life was like for one group of soldiers.

In one scene, when his Humvee comes under fire by rocket-propelled grenades, Fox is heard saying, “Well, we took fire, we got to find and kill these (expletive deleted). Let’s go roll the (expletive) out.”

It is part tribute to the soldiers he served with. Time after time he describes them as among the finest soldiers in the world.

In the final analysis of the Military, and especially in War, you serve with and for those around you, right or wrong the conflict may be nor your personal thoughts of.

Fox doesn’t blame the Iraqis for his experience.

“I don’t blame anyone who tried to kill me when I was there. That’s the way I would feel if America was attacked,” he said.

The Synopsis of the movie from Drifter Entertainment

"Changing Us" is a compelling and intimate window into war.

"Changing Us" is a documentary comprised of never before seen video footage shot by a young soldier on the front lines during the Iraq invasion. Its raw and riveting voice resounds the events through the eyes of those who were changed by enduring the intensity of the war.

"Changing Us" is a dramatic journey, a mosaic of stories without political agenda or pretense, that grips the audience and offers a sobering look at what truly transpired for an Army unit assisting with the Iraq invasion. Unlike the nightly news, this real life drama is a first-hand taste of front-line combat mixed together with young innocence, as shown through faces who have finally been given a voice that resonates the devastation of war. This documentary is a powerful film that individually, “changes us”.

And from the Lancaster Eagle Gazette Lancaster native's documentary shows 2003 Iraq takeover

A personal look at the Iraq war through the eyes of a Lancaster native hit big screen in Denver this past week.

Sgt. Laef Fox, a 1997 William V. Fisher Catholic High School graduate, crafted the documentary film "Changing Us" from footage he gathered while fighting in Iraq.

"The viewers will see a documentary about the Iraq war, though it concentrates mainly ... on Iraqis and civilians that were there," Fox said. "It's (77 minutes) of one unit's journey during the takeover of Iraq."

The private showing premeir, mentioned above.

"This is a private showing for friends, family and press," Fox said. "All veterans that were in the film are flying in. It's going to be a pretty big event."

The bio's of Laef and the Soldiers with him in Iraq and the Documentary

He has another film in the works!

One Thing About the Present

We didn't have the number of Documentaries about War and the Experiance as well as how we got here back in our day. To archive the lessons the Country said it would never Forget!

'Winter Soldier', 'Sir! No Sir!' were kept out of the Countries Concious on Purpose!

Hollywood, except for a few like 'Coming Home', painted a Much Differant Picture of War, as the Movies that preceded.

The Record Is Made, with more to come I'm sure, Learn The Lessons, The Real Lessons!!