Troops Home Now?
Editorials from MFSO members:
By Bill Habedank
Red Wing, MN
Just before Christmas I had a letter to the editor published in my local newspaper that everyone’s New Years resolution should be working toward world peace. What influenced my urge to write this editorial was the release of the Afghan Papers which said that we had been lied to about what was going on in Afghanistan, just as we had been with Viet Nam and Iraq.
Reaching that goal now will be exceedingly more difficult with the assassination of Iran’s military leader.
So what do we do now as people who want peace. We must mobilize everywhere we can by speaking to friends, local politicians and Members of Congress and civil disobedience if necessary. We must convey the utter insanity of starting another war (as if we weren’t still at war!). A war with Iran will be a disaster for the entire world and yes that includes citizens of the United States. The potential for a world war is high. There will be no winners.
The real losers will be unprivileged people because of austerity in social programs that provide real security. This has been the case with every war. If a new war with Iran is to keep US citizens safe it will do just the opposite. This war will make any attempts to provide the real security of healthcare, education, a place to live, and a liveable environment impossible. The voices of reason and sanity must prevail. You can be that voice. Silence will be our doom. There is still time to make your New Year’s resolution to work for peace.
Bill and Diane have a son in the Army
Join the Global Day of Protest, Saturday January 25:
No War on Iran!
https://www.unacpeace.org
In the News:
MFSO member Mary Hladky in MO and Rossana and Arturo Cambron, Pat Alviso, About Face and VFP leaders John Motter and Anthony Palacios in Los Angeles at No War with Iran rallies
Who Signs Up to Fight? Makeup of U.S. Recruits Shows Glaring Disparity
More and more, new recruits come from the same small number of counties and are the children of old recruits.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/
Pompeo: US troops ‘to continue mission’ in Iraq
The Iraqi government is asking for the withdrawal of American soldiers
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/
Everything You Need to Know About Vets’ and Caregivers’ New Base Access
Some veterans are being granted access to military commissary, exchange and MWR
https://www.military.com/
US Dismisses Iraq Request to Work on a Troop Withdrawal Plan
BAGHDAD — Iraq’s caretaker prime minister asked Washington to start working out a road map for an American troop withdrawal, but the U.S. State Department on Friday bluntly rejected the request,
https://www.military.com/
Troops on Middle East Snap Deployment May Be Entitled to These Extra Pays
Here is a rundown of pays that service members deployed during tensions with Iran may be entitled to receive, according to Defense Department guidelines
https://www.military.com/
Note: The opinions reflected above and in future editorials are not a reflection of any official stance approved by the MFSO board, which meets monthly and posts official positions decided by the board on our website. Your responses and opinions are welcome. If you would like to send your half page editorial on any MFSO related issue, please send to mfsooc@earthlink.net
MFSO-Newsletter-January-2020.html (928 downloads )
