Military Resistance 12C24
Military Resistance Newsletter Now Has A Home At Ft. Hamilton
[Outreach To New York Army National Guard
From: Alan S
To: Mmilitary Resistance Newsletter
Sent: March 27, 2014
Subject: Outreach To New York Army National Guard
On Monday, 3/24 at a NYC commuter terminal two Military Resistance Newsletters and 1 DVD of “Authority & Expectations” (Iraq Vet Wray Harris's angry denunciation of the Iraq War and domestic issues resulting in non-support of troops) were distributed to two soldiers. [Harris DVD at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyfkLubnyBw]
One had never met me but the other, a sergeant, had and was interested enough (after reading a previous handout) to accept another. His patrol mate accepted the DVD while the sergeant already had one.
The next day at the same terminal three more National Guard troops were approached, two knew me and accepted newsletters again (all already had DVDs), the third, an airman took one for the first time.
One of the remaining two, when asked what reactions there were to the newsletter already read, replied the material was “important.”
When told I hoped they'd never deploy the one who remarked on the newsletter shook his head from side to side and said “me too.”
Finally, on March 27 at another of the city terminals two more soldiers were encountered. Both remembered me and were positive in their evaluation of the handouts previously received. One said “very interesting” referring to the newsletter and DVD both.
Taking another handout he added “we have them (newsletters) in our building.”
What building I asked? “
Fort Hamilton” was the reply.
I showed him a copy of “Soldiers in Revolt” and while examining the book he said he “recognized it.” I then gave him the copy for personal use plus two Military Law Task Force Newsletters that Military Resistance receives periodically.
It was encouraging to know Military Resistance Newsletter now has now a home at Ft. Hamilton.
First time in memory there if I'm not mistaken.
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ACTION REPORTS WANTED:
FROM YOU!
An effective way to encourage others to support members of the armed forces organizing to resist the Imperial war is to report what you do.
If you’ve carried out organized contact with troops on active duty, at base gates, airports, or anywhere else, send a report in to Military Resistance for the Action Reports section.
Same for contact with National Guard and/or Reserve components.
They don’t have to be long. Just clear, and direct action reports about what work was done and how.
If there were favorable responses, say so.
If there were unfavorable responses or problems, don’t leave them out. Reporting what went wrong and/or got screwed up is especially important, so that others may learn from you what to expect, and how to avoid similar problems if possible.
If you are not planning or engaging in outreach to the troops, you have nothing to report.
NOTE WELL:
Do not make public any information that could compromise the work.
Identifying information – locations, personnel – will be omitted from the reports.
Whether you are serving in the armed forces or not, do not identify members of the armed forces organizing to stop the wars.
If accidentally included, that information will not be published.
The sole exception: occasions when a member of the armed services explicitly directs identifying information be published in reporting on the action.
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The Military Resistance Organization:
Military Resistance Mission Statement:
1. The mission of Military Resistance is to bring together in one organization members of the armed forces and civilians in order to give aid and comfort to members of the armed forces who are organizing to end the war of empire in Afghanistan. The long term objective is to assist in eliminating all wars of empire by eliminating all empires.
2. Military Resistance does not advocate individual disobedience to orders or desertion from the armed forces. The most effective resistance is organized by members of the armed forces working together.
However, Military Resistance respects and will assist in the defense of troops who see individual desertion or refusal of orders as the only course of action open to them for reasons of conscience.
3. Military Resistance stands for the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. and other occupation troops from Afghanistan.
Occupied nations have the right to independence and the right to resist Imperial invasion and occupation by force of arms.
4. Efforts to increase democratic rights in every society, organization, movement, and within the armed forces itself will receive encouragement and support.
Members of the armed forces, whether those of the United States or any other nation, have the right and duty to act against dictatorships commanding their services, and to assist civilian movements against dictatorship.
This applies whether a political dictatorship is imposed by force of arms or a political dictatorship is imposed by those in command of the resources of society using their wealth to purchase the political leadership.
5. Military Resistance uses organizational democracy.
This means control of the organization by the membership, through elected delegates to any coordinating bodies that may be formed, whether at local, regional, or national levels.
Any member may run for any job in the organization. All persons elected are subject to immediate recall, by majority vote of the membership.
Coordinating bodies report their actions, decisions and votes to the membership who elected them, and may be overruled by a majority of the membership.
6. It is not necessary for Military Resistance to be in political agreement with other organizations in order to work together towards specific common objectives.
It is productive for organizations working together on common projects to discuss differences about the best way forward for the movement.
Debate is necessary to arrive at the best course of action.
Membership Requirements:
7. It is a condition of membership that each member prioritize and participate in organized action to reach out to active duty armed forces, Reserve and/or National Guard units.
8. Military Resistance or individual members may choose to support candidates for elective office who are for immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan, but do not support a candidate opposed to immediate, unconditional withdrawal.
9. Members may not be active duty or drilling reserve commissioned officers, or employed in any capacity by any police or intelligence agency, local, state, or national.
10. I understand and am in agreement with the above statement. I pledge to defend my brothers and sisters, and the democratic rights of the citizens of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
------(Signed
(Date)
------(Application taken by)
Military Resistance:
Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657
888-711-2550
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You Can Take Action That Makes A Difference:
Join The Military Resistance Organization:
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Military Resistance:
Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657
888-711-2550
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“People Need Not Be Helpless Before The Power Of Illegitimate Authority”
MILITARY RESISTANCE:
Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657
[Based on a statement by David Cortright, Vietnam Veteran and armed forces resistance organizer.]
In the final analysis the stationing of American forces abroad serves not the national interest but the class interest of the corporate and political elite.
The maintenance of a massive, interventionist-oriented military establishment is based on the need to protect multinational investment and preserve regimes friendly to American capital.
Imperialism is at the heart of the national-security system and is the force fundamentally responsible for the counterrevolutionary, repressive aims of U.S. policy.
Only if we confront this reality and challenge it throughout society and within the ranks can we restore democratic control of the military.
Of course nothing can be accomplished without citizen involvement and active political struggle.
During the Vietnam era enlisted servicemen created massive pressures for change, despite severe repression, and significantly altered the course of the war and subsequent military policy.
To sustain and strengthen this challenge we must continue to build political opposition to interventionism and support those within the armed services, including national guard and reserves, who defy the goals and program of Empire.
The central lesson of the GI movement is that people need not be helpless before the power of illegitimate authority, that by getting together and acting upon their convictions people can change society and, in effect, make their own history.
The Military Project
Military Resistance:
Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657
888-711-2550
YOUR INVITATION:
Comments, arguments, articles, and letters from service men and women, and veterans, are especially welcome. Write to Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657 or email : Name, I.D., withheld unless you request publication. Same address to unsubscribe.
AFGHANISTAN WAR REPORTS
Resistance Action
[Graphic: flickr.com/photos]
Mar 27 2014 By Ghanizada, Khaama Press
Defense ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi said Thursday that two Afghan national army soldiers were martyred following improvised explosive devive (IED) explosion.
Gen. Azimi further added that another Afghan national army (ANA) soldier was martyred in militants’ direct fire. He did not disclose further information regarding the exact locations of the incident.
FORWARD OBSERVATIONS
“At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. Oh had I the ability, and could reach the nation’s ear, I would, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke.
“For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. “We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
“The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.”
Frederick Douglass, 1852
A revolution is always distinguished by impoliteness, probably because the ruling classes did not take the trouble in good season to teach the people fine manners.
-- Leon Trotsky, History Of The Russian Revolution
Contractor Designs Air Force Jet, Chinese Missile To Shoot It Down:
“Pataiman Has Announced That For Increased Efficiency Both The F-24 And The PL-13 Will Be Manufactured At The Same Factory In U.S. House Speaker John Boehner’s Home District In Ohio”
Photo Credit: Scott Ash / U.S. Air Force
March 26, 2014 By G-Had, The Duffle Blog
WASHINGTON — Congress has promised to hold hearings after a Department of Defense watchdog turned up evidence that the contractor manufacturing the Air Force’s planned F-24 Boyd fighter jet was also being contracted by the Chinese military to design a missile to shoot it down.
“We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” declared a visibly angry Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) in a session of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
The senator made his remarks after a report by the Pentagon Inspector General revealed that Virginia-based Pataiman, or Patriotic Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation, which received the bid to develop and build the F-24 in 2002, was also simultaneously developing China’s PL-13 surface-to-air missile to shoot down the F-24.
Pataiman has denied any a conflict of interest and claimed the whole affair is a simple misunderstanding.
“We are taking these allegations extremely seriously,” wrote spokesman Dong Min in a response to media inquiries.
He defended Pataiman’s connections with the Chinese military as a synergistic opportunity of vertical integration to help the company expand its 21st century global marketing footprint in a time of domestic austerity.
Min also described the PL-13 as “purely defensive” in nature and said it was designed only for sale to the U.S. and NATO member states.
However the company website, all in Mandarin, describes the missile as “perfect for helping you maintain air superiority over any large or small offshore Pacific islands you may have claimed.”
According to Min, internal barriers between different subsidiaries of the company, set up to prevent any conflicts of interest, may have accidentally contributed to the problem.
He included a picture from the company headquarters, which showed a state-of-the-art piece of cardboard separating the cubicles for the All-Weather Air Superiority Fighter and People’s Heroic Air Defense development teams.
While the IG also suggests that Pataiman is in blatant violation of the Arms Export Control Act, Min added that scrupulous safeguards are in place to ensure that no U.S. technology is inadvertently transferred to China, with exception of course for any recovered from the wreckage of F-24′s shot down by them.
Critics at the Pentagon responded by burning an effigy of Min in the building’s courtyard.
The IG report also notes an open investigation by the Justice Department into a previous contract that Pataiman held with the Joint Improvised Explosive Device-Defeat Organization, which it was forced to drop in 2010 after an internal newsletter revealed the company was also helping unspecified parties in Pakistan develop a new type of explosive compound specifically undetectable by American anti-IED technology.
According to the IG, Pataiman pursued a similar dual-track strategy with both the United States and China:
Offering to add features to the F-24 while simultaneously offering China countermeasures for the PL-13, then returning to the Pentagon to warn of those PL-13 countermeasures and claiming the F-24 would need even more features to counter those.
An internal Pataiman memo cited in the IG report noted that this internal arms race was more profitable than actually building either weapons system, and hoped the company could stretch out the development of both through at least 2021.
The IG has also launched a separate investigation into several Air Force colonels who initially uncovered Pataiman’s Chinese connections. Rather than notify anyone, they actually encouraged the company’s deception, seeing the PL-13 as a way to both increase the F-24′s funding and divert more of the defense budget to the Air Force.