On Int'l Women's Day: Take Action, Reflect, Read this poem 8MAR12

HERE is a moving anti-war poem by Ms Suheir Hammad from the IVAW e mail newsletter, followed by articles on MST (Military Sexual Trauma) and the role women must play in peace negotiations in Afghanistan and all other conflicts...
What I Will
by Suheir Hammad
I will not
dance to your war
drum. I will
not lend my soul nor
my bones to your war
drum. I will
not dance to your
beating. I know that beat.
It is lifeless. I know
intimately that skin
you are hitting. It
was alive once
hunted stolen
stretched. I will
not dance to your drummed
up war. I will not pop
spin break for you. I
will not hate for you or
even hate you. I will
not kill for you. Especially
I will not die
for you. I will not mourn
the dead with murder nor
suicide. I will not side
with you nor dance to bombs
because everyone else is
dancing. Everyone can be
wrong. Life is a right not
collateral or casual. I
will not forget where
I come from. I
will craft my own drum. Gather my beloved
near and our chanting
will be dancing. Our
humming will be drumming. I
will not be played. I
will not lend my name
nor my rhythm to your
beat. I will dance
and resist and dance and
persist and dance. This heartbeat is louder than
death. Your war drum ain’t
louder than this breath.

Another world is possible,

Iraq Veterans Against the War
& the Afghanistan Veterans Against the War Committee

More Info: Sign the petition to support MST survivors. Ann Jones is author of Kabul in Winter and War is not Over When it's Over, two books about the impact of war on women. Check out her website here. Check out the Invisible War film trailer. Check out details on the Overlooked/Looked Over exhibit at the National Veterans Art Museum. Watch Suheir Hammah perform this poem. Support our Work: Donate today. Send us your feedback. On International Women's Day: Reflect, Take Action, and Be Inspired The persistance of militarism and the oppression of women (and people who do not conform to strict gender norms) seem to go hand-in-hand. In honor of International Women's Day, we invite you to Reflect on the potential role of women in peace negotiations, Act in support of veteran survivors of Military Sexual Trauma, and Be Inspired to resist militarism by Suheir Hammad's poem, What I Will. Reflections on why Women must be at the center of peace negotiations in Afghanistan 'Male negotiators sometimes worry that having women participate in the  discussion may change the tone of the meeting. They're right. During the Northern Ireland peace talks, the men would get bogged down by abstract issues and past offences. The women would come and talk about their loved ones, their bereavement, their children and their hopes for the future. These deeply personal comments helped keep the talks focused. The women's experiences reminded the men that it was people who really mattered.' - Anonymous "Why Peace is the Business of Men (But Shouldn't Be)" by Ann Jones (originally published by Tom Dispatch.com) 'Looking for a way out of Afghanistan? Maybe it's time to try something entirely new and totally different. So how about putting into action, for the first time in recorded history, the most enlightened edict ever passed by the United Nations Security Council: Resolution 1325? Passed on October 31, 2000, more than a decade ago, that "landmark" resolution was hailed worldwide as a great "victory" for women and international peace and security. In a nutshell, SCR 1325 calls for women to participate equally and fully at decision-making levels in all processes of conflict resolution, peacemaking, and reconstruction. Without the active participation of women in peacemaking every step of the way, the Security Council concluded, no just and durable peace could be achieved anywhere.'  Read more... Take Action in support of survivors of Military Sexual Trauma In partnership with the makers of the film, Invisible War, winner of Sundance's Audience Award, we urge you to sign this petition supporting legislation that would help military sexual trauma survivors receive justice and care. Help this petition reach 10,000 signatures by signing today. Tweet the petition out to your followers. Here's a sample tweet you can use: 5900+ have shown support for Military Sexual Trauma survivors, will you help @Invisible_War get to 10K? chn.ge/A0UufO Or post it to your Facebook page: Support Military Sexual Trauma Survivors and demand Change! Sign and share on your wall: chn.ge/A0UufO Please encourage folks to join the conversation on Facebook at: Facebook.com/InvisibleWarMovie and Twitter: @Invisible_War and to sign up for the Invisible War newsletter. In addition, Invisible War is seeking photographs of service members who are survivors of MST for the final credits of the film. Find out how to send your photo here. Find Inspiration to resist militarism through art and creative expression. If you are in the Chicago area this weekend, the National Veterans Art Museum is launching the exhibit, Overlooked/Looked Over, a show of art by women veterans that highlights the unique experience of women in war, military service, and as veterans. The curator of this show is Erica Slone, artist, IVAW member, and three-tour Iraq veteran.

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Thank you! The pressure is working! Take action today. from IVAW 26JAN12

TO all who participated in lobbying the commander of Ft Hood to address the issues of military sexual trauma and PTSD, TBI and care for our troops this update from IVAW. General Campbell is holding a virtual town hall tonight via Facebook and phone calls in response to the pressure he has received from the thousands of postcards received from the IVAW campaign (see my initial post on this blog on the campaign VETERANS DAY 2011 FOCUS: WOMEN VETS AND SERVICE MEMBERS 7NOV11 posted 11NOV11). Thank you to all who participated for your support of our troops!

Take Action Join our virtual vigil by posting a message on the Fort Hood Facebook wall that says, "I support Fort Hood soldiers' rights to heal from military trauma" Donate now if you like our work. Send us your feedback. After two months of pressure from the Operation Recovery campaign, Fort Hood Commander announces he will hold a town hall Help keep the pressure on by posting a message on Fort Hood's Facebook wall before tonight's virtual town hall event. Since November, the General has received postcards from thousands of Operation Recovery campaign supporters like you urging him to hold a town hall community forum to address the crisis of untreated trauma at Fort Hood. Tonight's virtual town hall is strictly for the Fort Hood community, and soldiers and their family members will be asking questions via Facebook and phone calls. But we want General Campbell and the Fort Hood community to know that thousands around the nation care what happens to soldiers there. Today, before the town hall takes place, will you post this simple message on the Fort Hood Facebook wall? I support Fort Hood soldiers' rights to heal from military trauma. Then let us know you took action by sending us an email. It's that simple. Please make your post BEFORE 2:00 PM Pacific, 3:00 PM Mountain, 4:00 PM Central, or 5:00 PM Eastern. We don't want to clog up Facebook and prevent Fort Hood soldiers from asking important questions tonight during the actual town hall. This is a forum we have fought for, and we don't want to undermine the opportunity for service members' voices to be heard. This virtual town hall is not perfect We are pleased that General Campbell has agreed to hold this event, but the virtual format makes it easy for him to avoid answering the tough questions about untreated military trauma plaguing his base. To ensure these issues are addressed, we are co-hosting a simultaneous public gathering with Under the Hood Cafe and Outreach Center, where soldiers and their families will submit questions that address the critical issues at Fort Hood, including: 1) inadequate access to behavioral health counseling 2) commanders overriding the advice of medical doctors 3) over-medication of soldiers 4) a culture that allows sexual harassment and assault to occur Making a town hall virtual also reinforces the alienation and anonymity experienced by soldiers who who need help. Naomi, whose husband serves in Fort Hood's 2-5 Cavalry says, "Having a virtual town hall doesn't bring people together in a visible way to see and discuss our common experience." Our in-person gathering will bring soldiers together to let them know they are not alone. Show your solidarity before tonight's town hall with a Facebook post. Go to the Fort Hood Facebook wall and post this short message: I support Fort Hood soldiers' rights to heal from military trauma. Then let us know you took action by sending us an email. Again, please make your Facebook post BEFORE 2:00 PM Pacific, 3:00 PM Mountain, 4:00 PM Central, or 5:00 PM Eastern. Imperfect as it is, this virtual town hall is an important first step, but Operation Recovery will continue our work to end the deployment of traumatized troops and ensure that soldiers have the right to heal at Fort Hood and around the nation. Thank you for your continued support of our campaign. In Solidarity, The Operation Recovery Campaign Team Iraq Veterans Against the War P.S. Base commanders don't hold town halls regularly. The only other town hall in Fort Hood's history was in 2010 after the major crisis of the mass shooting that killed 13 soldiers. Clearly, the Fort Hood community is in crisis again with thousands of troops cycling out of Iraq after multiple tours of duty. A recent Army report shows that despite expanded efforts at suicide and substance abuse prevention, Army suicides are at a record high and violent sex crimes by active duty service members has increased by a whopping 30%.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is a 501(c)(3) charity, and welcomes your tax deductible contributions

IVAW Documentary Premieres in Washington DC 21JAN12

'THIS IS WHERE WE TAKE OUR STAND' is an anti-war documentary from the IVAW. Check it out if and tell PBS to broadcast it on the station you support.

This is Where We Take Our Stand Washington DC Premiere Thurs., February 2, 6:00pm Busboys and Poets Restaurant 2021 14th St. NW at V St. This is Where We Take Our Stand, a new documentary by critically acclaimed director David Zeiger (Sir! No Sir!, 2005) is a portrait of three IVAW members as they testify from their own experience about the nature of the occupations at Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008. Our veterans’ stories remain relevant long after withdrawal from Iraq. As you know, more and more troops are returning with serious physical and mental injuries to an America not prepared to support them. “The war might be over,” says Geoff Millard, a star of the film who served 13 months in Iraq in 2004-05, “but veterans will continue dealing with all kinds of issues. The film gives voice to these vets as they try to reintegrate into a society telling them to take their medals, sit down, and shut up.” Please join us for the premiere, followed by Q&A with director David Zeiger, cast member Geoff Millard, and IVAW DC-area members. Can’t make the premiere? This is Where We Take Our Stand will air across the country on PBS, thanks to generous support from the National Educational Television Association. Due to its controversial nature, many local PBS stations will relegate the film to their smaller and less widely available digital affiliates.Contact DC's local PBS affiliate,  WETA, at (703) 998-2600 and urge them to air This is Where We Take Our Stand on their major channel.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is a 501(c)(3) charity, and welcomes your tax deductible contributions

As Flag Is Put Away, America's Mission In Iraq Symbolically Ends & Iraq War: U.S. Military Formally Ends The War 15DEZ11

THE Iraq war is symbolically over, but is not really over till every one of our troops is out of there and brought safely home......God speed to those stil there, please bring them all home safely Lord.....

by Mark Memmott

Enlarge Pablo Martinez Monsivais/pool/AP The American flag, Iraqi flag, and the U.S. Forces Iraq colors are carried during ceremonies in Baghdad today marking the end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq.

America's colors have been cased in Iraq — the flag was just symbolically put away at a ceremony marking the end of a war that lasted nearly nine years.
At the Baghdad airport a short time ago, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other officials were there to mark the occasion, NPR's Kelly McEvers reports. It was, she said on Morning Edition, a "quiet, small ceremony."
"The U.S. Forces-Iraq flag was furled — or wrapped — around a flagpole and covered in camouflage," The Associated Press says. "It will be brought back to the United States."
Panetta told those gathered that "challenges remain, but the U.S. will be there to stand by the Iraqi people as they navigate those challenges to build a stronger and more prosperous nation," The New York Times reports.
He also said, the BBC writes, that the effort had been worth the cost because the U.S. leaves with an Iraq that is now a partner.
"You will leave with great pride — lasting pride," Panetta told troops at the ceremony, according to the AP. "Secure in knowing that your sacrifice has helped the Iraqi people to cast tyranny aside and to offer hope for prosperity and peace to this country's future generations."

Related NPR Stories

Quiz: The Known Knowns About The Iraq War Dec. 15, 2011

As U.S. Departs, Iraq Faces An Uncertain Future Dec. 14, 2011

Timeline: The U.S. And The War In Iraq Dec. 14, 2011

America's mission, which quickly toppled Saddam Hussein's regime but required years' more effort to bring some stability to the country, officially ends after the deaths of about 4,500 U.S. military personnel and an estimated 100,000 Iraqis. About 32,000 U.S. forces were wounded. American taxpayers spent about $800 billion.
Hussein, who was captured in December 2003, was executed three years later.
From a peak of about 200,000, there are now about 4,000 U.S. military personnel left in Iraq, Kelly says. All American combat forces are due to be out of the country by Dec. 31. Most of the remaining personnel are expected to leave before Christmas.
The U.S. forces there still face dangers. "According to military officials," the Times adds, "the remaining troops are still being attacked on a daily basis, mainly by indirect fire attacks on the bases and road side bomb explosions against convoys heading south through Iraq to bases in Kuwait."

Kelly McEvers speaks with Renee Montagne from Baghdad

Iraq War: U.S. Military Formally Ends The War

By Missy Ryan and Patrick Markey
(Reuters) - The U.S. military officially ended its war in Iraq on Thursday, packing up a military flag at a ceremony with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta nearly nine years after the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.
The last 4,000 American troops will withdraw by the end of the year, leaving Iraq still tackling a weakened but stubborn insurgency, sectarian tensions and political uncertainty.
"After a lot of blood spilled by Iraqis and Americans, the mission of an Iraq that could govern and secure itself has become real," Panetta said at the ceremony.
U.S. soldiers rolled up the flag for American forces in Iraq and slipped it into a camouflage-colored sleeve.
Nearly 4,500 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis lost their lives in a war that began with a "Shock and Awe" campaign of missiles pounding Baghdad, but later descended into a bloody sectarian struggle between long-oppressed majority Shi'ites and their former Sunni masters.
Saddam is dead, an uneasy politics is at work and the violence has ebbed. But Iraq still struggles with the insurgency, a fragile power-sharing government and an oil-reliant economy plagued by power shortages and corruption.

In Falluja, the former heartland of an al Qaeda insurgency and scene of some of the worst fighting in the war, several thousand Iraqis celebrated the withdrawal on Wednesday, some burning U.S. flags and waving pictures of dead relatives.
Iraq's neighbors will keep a close watch on how Baghdad will confront its problems without the buffer of a U.S. military presence, while a crisis in neighboring Syria threatens to upset the region's sectarian and ethnic balance.
President Barack Obama, who made an election promise to bring troops home, told Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that Washington will remain a loyal partner after the last troops roll across the Kuwaiti border.
Iraq's Shi'ite leadership presents the withdrawal as a new start for the country's sovereignty, but many Iraqis question which direction the nation will take once U.S. troops leave.
Some fear more sectarian strife or an al Qaeda return to sow terror in the cities. A squabble between Kurds in their northern semi-autonomous enclave and the Iraqi Arab central government over disputed territories and oil is another flashpoint.
Violence has ebbed since the bloodier days of sectarian slaughter when suicide bombers and hit squads claimed hundreds of victims a day at times as the country descended into tit-for-tat killings between the Sunni and Shi'ite communities.
In 2006 alone, 17,800 Iraqi military and civilians were killed in violence.
Iraqi security forces are generally seen as capable of containing the remaining Sunni Islamist insurgency and the rival Shi'ite militias U.S. officials say are backed by Iran.
But even for those enjoying a sense of sovereignty, security is still a major worry. Attacks now target local Iraqi government offices and security forces in an attempt show that the authorities are not in control.
"I am happy they are leaving. This is my country and they should leave," said Samer Saad, a soccer coach. "But I am worried because we need to be safe. We are worried because all the militias will start to come back."
SECTARIAN TENSIONS
The fall of Saddam opened the way for Iraq's Shi'ite majority community to ascend to positions of power after decades of oppression under his Sunni-run Baath party. But nine years after the invasion Iraq remains a splintered country, worrying many that the days of sectarian slaughter are not over.
Even the political power-sharing in Maliki's Shi'ite-led government is hamstrung by sectarian divides. The government at times seems paralyzed as parties split along sect lines, squabbling over key laws and government posts.
Sunni Iraqis fear marginalization or even a creeping Shi'ite-led authoritarian rule under Maliki. A recent crackdown on former members of the Baath party has fueled those fears.
Sectarian divisions leave Iraq vulnerable to meddling by neighbors trying to secure more influence, especially as Sunni-controlled Arab nations view Iranian involvement as an attempt to control Iraq's Shi'ite parties at the cost of Sunnis.
Iraq's Shi'ite leadership frets the crisis in neighboring Syria could eventually bring a hardline Sunni leadership to power in Damascus, worsening Iraq's own sectarian tensions.
"WAS IT WORTH IT?"
U.S. troops were supposed to stay on as part of a deal to train the Iraqi armed forces. Washington had asked Iraq for at least 3,000 troops to remain in the country. But talks over immunity from prosecution for American soldiers fell apart.
Memories of U.S. abuses, arrests and killings still haunt many Iraqis and the question of legal protection from prosecution looked too sensitive for Iraq's political leadership to push through a splintered parliament.
At the height of the war, 170,000 American soldiers occupied more than 500 bases across the country. Now only two bases and 5,500 troops remain in the country. All will be home before the end of the year when a security pact expires.
Only around 150 U.S. soldiers will remain in Iraq after December 31 attached to the huge U.S. Embassy that sits near the Tigris River. Civilian contractors will take on the task of training Iraqi forces on U.S. military hardware.
Every day hundreds of trunks and troops trundle in convoys across the Kuwaiti border as U.S. troops end their mission.
"Was it worth it? I am sure it was. When we first came in here, the Iraqi people seemed like they were happy to see us," said Sgt 1st Class Lon Bennish, packing up recently at a U.S. base and finishing the last of three deployments in Iraq.
"I hope we are leaving behind a country that says 'Hey, we are better off now than we were before.'"
(Editing by David Stamp)
Timeline: The U.S. war in Iraq

March, 2003: Shock And Awe

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U.S. President George W. Bush launches an invasion in Iraq. "The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder," the President says in a televised address.

A U.S.-led coalition begins bombing Baghdad on March 19, 2003.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/15/iraq-war-ends_n_1150252.html?ref=daily-brief?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=121511&utm_medium=email&utm_content=NewsEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief 

Maggie Martin on being a vet in a nation that seems oblivious to war 15APR11

SO many Americans think they are supporting the troops by forwarding sappy and too often disgustingly nationalistic e mails about our military and the dangers wherever they are, especially in war zones. A majority of these e mail, bumper sticker patriots cant be bothered to e mail or call the White House or their members of Congress to demand the troops be properly supplied in war zones, that they receive prompt, adequate medical treatment for their physical and mental wounds, that wounded soldiers not be redeployed until they are healed, that sexual abuse in military not be tolerated and ex-military benefit programs be fully funded and available fairly and equally to all who have earned them. Most important, these people can't be bothered to challenge the government on the justification of war that places our troops in harms way. YEAH, THESE E MAIL, BUMPER STICKER, MILITARY WANNA-BE'S ARE REAL PATRIOTS! This from IVAW, Iraq Veterans Against the War.....

IVAW Organizer Maggie Martin shares the contradictions inherent in being a veteran in a nation quick to call you a hero, but mostly oblivious to your sacrifice.  Her blog post was featured on Huffington Post as part of their Military Families Week focus. Maggie in DC for Operation Recovery Campaign launch There's No Quick Fix for Veterans MAGGIE MARTIN It has been nearly five years since I left the Army and still my time in the service is fresh in my mind. I think about my deployments every single day without fail. I have friends and family, responsibilities and passions that keep me moving, but the time I spent in the Army and in Iraq are what continue to define me. Many current and former service members feel the same way. The act of participating in war casts a shadow over everything else in life. Facing high stress and danger for so long makes it tremendously difficult to leave the military and rejoin civilian society. Day-to-day concerns seem trivial compared to the life or death urgency of military situations. When I first came home, I would become furious at how easily everyone in this country can carry on virtually ignoring the fact that we are at war. I worked as a server as I used my GI Bill benefits to earn a bachelor's degree in English Communication, but after graduating with honors, I could not find a job in my field. After a year of looking for meaningful employment, I enrolled in graduate school largely out of fear that my degree would become obsolete before I could even get a shot at any real work experience. The fact that women veterans are among the highest unemployed populations leaves me with questions about whether my service is continuing to hurt me in ways I cannot even see. I've struggled with processing my experiences as a woman in the military. Five years later, I am just beginning to seek help for Military Sexual Trauma (MST), a rape that I could not admit to myself let alone report to authorities. My acquiescence and perpetuation of victim blaming, so rampant in the military, kept me in denial about what I had suffered. I think often of women I knew in similar situations who I would not reach out to for fear of casting myself in the lot of weak women -- for that, I am full of regret. Being a woman in the military is complicated and it is arduous. Everything you do is related back to your womanhood. To be accepted you must excel at all physical and work related tasks, ignore boatloads of harassment, and walk that fine line to avoid being cast into one of the two major categories: bitch and whore. The best that a woman in the military can hope for is to be considered one of the boys. Women face the same dangers and hardships as men; the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts have seen more and more female soldiers exposed to combat. On top of that, women are raped and sexually assaulted by their fellow service members at appalling rates, all the while being told that our sacrifices are not as great as our male counterparts. The hardest part about leaving the military is trying to fit into a society that doesn't understand or seem to care much for veterans. It is hard to come to grips with the clash between the ideal of "support the troops" and the reality of isolation from society. I find myself wondering what it is that the U.S. and its citizens owe service members; what is a fair price for the majority to remain virtually unaffected while a small minority bares the brunt of these wars? The answer is confounded by the fact that these days most Americans oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The water gets even muddier when we consider the shame of Abu Ghraib and the Afghanistan "kill teams" which have shown us all some of the most shocking and truly saddening images of violence and dehumanization our military has cultivated. I can't blame those who have no love for the military or veterans. Had I not served beside so many reputable men and women who honestly believed that they were doing their country a service, I might not either. But you will not hear me argue that all veterans are heroes, that is a lie that has stolen too many lives. Some may hear that as blasphemy, but I say the very least this country owes its men and women of the armed forces is the truth. It is far easier to say our troops are heroes than it is to have an honest dialog about what service means. It is easier to call troops heroes than to ask what commitment we as a nation have to those who fight in our name or to question whether service members are fighting in our name if we as citizens have no say in the matter. Hero is a word that takes away responsibility from all parties and wraps it up in a lofty idea that rarely exists. The label of hero is a bogus consolation prize and a nasty cover-up. Even though I'm grateful for the thought, when a stranger thanks me for my service I feel my stomach turning. Although I treated those who I encountered with respect and dignity, I am still riddled with guilt for my participation in the unjust war in Iraq. On the other hand, cheesy patriotic songs bring me to tears in a heartbeat and I still feel a sense of pride for sacrificing what most will not in order to serve my country. What I'm saying is it's complicated. There is no quick fix or "one size fits all" solution to the problems that veterans are facing. After 10 years of war, service members need relief and they deserve the right to heal. Veterans need honesty, patience, physical and mental health care, and access to everything that was promised them when they enlisted. They need jobs, friends and outlets for creative expression. They need love, support and families to come home to. I need these things, we all do. We do not need to be patronized or blamed for our government's mistakes. Five years have come and gone, yet every day I think of the Army. I think of Iraq. These wars rage on and I am just one of the millions who have been affected first-hand by these wars, please don't be one of the millions who doesn't give them a second thought. Maggie Martin served as a Sergeant in the US Army Signal Corps, and she served two tours in Iraq.  She is an organizer with Iraq Veterans Against the War's Operation Recovery Campaign and the Warrior Writers project.  Maggie is presently a graduate student at Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan, and her poetry has been published in Fellowship Magazine.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is a 501(c)(3) charity, and welcomes your tax deductible contributions

P.O. Box 3565, New York, NY 10008. All Right Reserved