Pledge to Support Iraq Veterans Against the War
and End the Occupation of Iraq
Given that the ongoing occupation of Iraq is a horrendous waste of life and money that make America less capable of defending itself,
And given that our democracy has failed to execute the will of the American people,
And given that it is now necessary for the people to stop the occupation,
I hereby solemnly swear to do the following:
I will not do anything other than pay taxes to support the occupation financially or economically.
If asked to support the occupation in the course of my employment I will refuse.
I will not transport goods or material that support the occupation.
If considering joining the military, I will not do so until all occupying forces are removed from Iraq, and will encourage others to do the same.
I make this pledge in good conscience, and out of my love for my country.
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INSTRUCTIONS: To sign the pledge, simply add a comment to this post and include your name, occupation, employer, and whatever other information you deem appropriate.
34 comments:
Jose L Perez
Educator
Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Support your troops: support the families of those who have died in combat, support those that come back physically and mentally destroyed, and support those who have seen what is occurring and have the courage to make their objections heard.
We must support them every step of the way, not just when politically convenient.
Tim Coil
Disabled Gulf War Veteran/War Resister - Christian peacemaker
Yvette Coil
Wife of disabled Gulf War vet/war resister - Kent State University Student - Christian peacemaker
Josh Coil
Son of disabled Gulf War vet/war resister - High School student
Britt Coil
Daughter of disabled Gulf War vet/war resister - High School student and co-founder of counter-recruitment at HHS
This family supports war resisters, conscientious objectors, soldiers/vets with mental illness due to combat (PTSD, MST, anxiety and depression), soldiers/vets who are disabled physically, assists students in getting out of the delayed enlistment program, assists churches in awareness of peace issues in regards to servicemembers, speaks on all the topics mentioned above, are members of the Mennonite church, AFSC, Every Church a peace church, MCC's ask-a-vet, peace-out.org, Portage County Peace Coalition, and veterans for 9/11 truth.
We support all soldiers who have the intestinal fortitude to speak truth to power, and churches who do the same.
Peace always,
The Coils
I'll take the pledge. Keep up the great work.
Proudliberaldem
http://proudliberaldem.blogspot.com
Lana S.
Wife, Mother, and Activist
Fairfield, CT
I support Adam Kokesh!
I support our troops!
I DO NOT support this war!! I do not support the Government or Armed Forces in their decission Re: Adam Kokesh!!
Myself and all my activist community of over 4 million, are outraged by this injustice. I will post this link to ALL members @ Care2.com. Adams Constitutional Rights have been violated. We are discussing a petition.
Adam is letting fellow Americans know "What's REALLY going on", obviously, the Government and Armed Forces, don't like it! We support Adam, and everything he stands for. Keep your head up, Adam. What you're doing is truly HONORABLE!
Best Regards,
Lana S.
John Linstrom
College Student
Sholom Keller
U.S. Army veteran
Member - Iraq Veterans Against the War
Adam,
I take the pledge with honor. You make me proud to be an American.
Bush says "God" told him to invade Iraq. More Americans have died in Iraq than on 9/11. Half a million innocent Iraqis have died. The fundamentalist Islamic terrorists also claim "God" on their side. Looks like they have much in common with Bush.
Ami Barzelay
Systems Engineer
you've got my support but I've been doing this for a few months already of course.
-Chris Capps
You have my support and I take the pledge.
I stand with you and all veterans and current soldiers AND their families. I support the troops, NOT the president or his administration's policy built on lies.
J. Pentz
Just For Peace
Honoring the Fallen
I am taking this pledge in support of our troops at war.
I support the families that have loved ones at war.
I do not support this war!
Peace,
TJ Moore
When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion (Ethiopian proverb)
Thank you for all you are doing, and have done, for all of us.
MMH
John Crowley
Seattle, WA
Right-wing Social Worker,
Dept. of Corrections
Sir, You're doing a hard but excellent thing. You have my support and respect.
I support Adam and this pledge.
Greg Nash
Army vet, IVAW member
This war was illegal, and incited for all the wrong reasons.It has cost this country blood, treasure and honor. The destruction to Iraq is incalculable. It will be decades before America recovers, and it may never recover its status in the eyes of the world. I was against this foolish war before the first bombs were dropped and I stand against it now and until our last man is home, our mercenaries disbanded, our profiteers jailed and our disgraceful government disbanded and brought to justice.
Anne Gayler
I support Adam in his anti-illegal war in Iraq. I am a Vietnam Era Vet. This government for a long time have been using people in military like guinea pigs with agent orange,experimental shots and shells that are uranium tipped. They let tens of thousands of men and women and civilians die in Korea, Vietnam and now in Iraq for what? I'm not against a justified war against people that are our enemies but I am against a war that is illegal and has no justification at all. While our brave troops are fighting the war in Iraq and Afghanistan George W Bush is trying to make Mexico, Canada & USA one country called the North American Union. I must ask the troops who are fighting now, What country are you fighting for? In the oath we swore to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic! It just seems we have more domestic enemies of the Constitution in Washington DC right now then actual foreign enemies!
God bless America!
Bill R.
I am a disabled Vietnam-era vet. I know the long term costs of war. I know there is a huge difference between what is promised by government to its veterans and what is delivered. This war is immoral and illegal. Those who claim to govern are criminals in the eyes of most of the world. When will we wake up to that fact here in the USA. I fully support the work of IVAW in their work to end this war and end the dishonor it brings to our troops and our Nation. T.E. Origer - USMC Retired - Tet Offensive 1968
I definitely pledge to support the IVAW and End the Occupation. I support Adam Kokesh and any other active, or inactive military men and women who are opposed to this war, and who want to see this occupation end immediately!
Troy Simpkins
Nashville, TN
Employer: Vanderbilt Medical Center
Like Mr. Perez, I am an educator. My career began when I asked my father, Major D.E. Sullivan, why we were in Vietnam. He said he knew why he had been in Europe, but he did not know why we should be in Vietnam.
Since then, I have learned that to support our troops we must be sure that our military presence is needed. We do not need the military we have now. Therefore, we support our troops by bringing them home.
The military requires an oath to obey the president. It is disloyal to the country to obey the president when he abuses the use of the milltary for his own purposes. In such circumstances, it is the duty of military personnel to refuse to obey the president.
It is not convenient to wage war, to destroy the national economy, to suppress traditional liberties, and to diminish America's reputation.
It is not convenient to wage pre-emptive war, to destroy our economy, to approve torture by our soldiers, to diminish American reputation in the world, and to neglect domestic needs. The military personnel have a duty to refuse to obey the president, whenever his orders are contrary to their oath to defend the Constitution, as those of President-by-Supremene-Court decree Bush have been
I take this pledge with the utmost support and respect for the work Adam and the IVAW are doing.
Elizabeth
Teacher
What has this country become? We are afraid of dissent, afraid to ask hard questions, afraid to face the truth of how our lives of comfort are affecting everyone else on this planet. We've got our SUV's, the latest computer gadgets, our big-screen TV's, our $3 per gallon gas, our cheap booze, our sports and "reality" shows to keep us numb--God forbid we should get off our fat asses and actually DO something to make this country and this world a little more understanding, a little more caring, a better place for all of humanity. Thank you, Adam, and all of the soldiers who refuse to be cowed and threatened, and who courageously stand against this war and the lies that have cause so much pain and suffering in this world. And thanks to everyone who takes the pledge to really support our troops and end the illegal occupation of Iraq. Keep up the good work--you have my admiration, support and money!
Sandra Chung
US ExPat living in Australia
Dance Troup Co-Director, Photographer
Mother of two sons
Perth Australia
While I support the troops in every way I can, I do not support the current administration.
Robert Jackson
New Mexico State Employee
This war was based on lies.
Let's stop having soldiers dying
in vain.
Bring them ALL home NOW.
So many people in the U.S. are confused, and myself among them. People say they support the troops, but not the war. In the past, I sent care packages to a Marine in Iraq, but at the same time I bitterly opposed the illegal invasion of that country. I will save the money that I used for those packages, and will instead donate the money to organizations supporting the rights and health of war veterans. Further, I take an oath that I will never use my Arabic language skills to support the illegal invasion of any country in the Middle East, neither will I participate as an anthropologist in that capacity, so help me God.
Dawn Stricklin
Anthropologist
So many people in the U.S. are confused, and myself among them. People say they support the troops, but not the war. In the past, I sent care packages to a Marine in Iraq, but at the same time I bitterly opposed the illegal invasion of that country. I will save the money that I used for those packages, and will instead donate the money to organizations supporting the rights and health of war veterans. Further, I take an oath that I will never use my Arabic language skills to support the illegal invasion of any country in the Middle East, neither will I participate as an anthropologist in that capacity, so help me God.
Dawn Stricklin
Anthropologist
I support Adam Kokesh and pledge support to his cause. I already lost a brother to Viet-nam, I don't need to lose more relatives or friends. Adam is a true hero for all Americans!
I support IVAW and their efforts to end the occupation of Iraq.
This war began with a series of lies, let us hope it ends with a series of truths (and quickly). And let us hope our nation is brave enough to face these truths.
In the words of Emile Zola: "It is a crime to mislead public opinion, to manipulate it for a death-dealing purpose and to pervert it to the point of delirium."
Angela Hunter
Assistant Professor
These vets have served their country and now act above and beyond the call of duty. Little has been asked of the rest of us, one result of which is our lack of vigourous response to the war. We can show these vets support beyond bumper stickers and bad health care. Ironically, the IVAW now have to lead the peace movement themselves! Let's thank them, and join them.
Krystal Perkins
21 Year old advertiser - I refuse to run military ads.
I support you Adam, I support our men and women in Iraq, I support my country and freedom BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS WAR!
Hooah SGT!! I will and always will support my fellow vets and in doing so the end of this occupation.
NuLiForm here..and I support IVAW Fully.
Signing also in honour of my brother Edwin, a twice purple heart recipient-died 1971 Viet Nam by Morter, and my father Walter, a 2 tour service vet of WWII
I vow to engage in the War Tax Resistance and fight the use of anything of my world or treasure to support this illegal occupation. I vow to place working to stop this atrocity above all other work in my life and to not leave this country until I have exhausted every resource within my control.
Unconditional support for every veteran, every family member of those who have served.
I vow continued prayers for all of us suffering from this hideous war.
Janine Boneparth
Code Pink
Christian Peace Witness
P Garrison
It's hard to find the words for a comment. But wanting to be another voice of support. It's hard to know how to think about all that's going on. "America" has always been such a restless child (not sure that's quite the best metaphor, but...). It hurts to see war, and it hurts knowing that so many soldiers have gone into combat situations from a sense of ideals, or wanting to be able to go to college, or trying to supplement ones income, or from patriotism, whatever the reason. Soldiers in wars typically have been so very young, and we haven't done a very good job as a society (or in terms of government, or something) in learning from previous debacles. None of it's fair. Thank you for being, and for being brave in every sense of the word.
You are the best, Sgt. Kokesh. Thanks for fighing the good fight. peace.
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