A CBS poll finds that 80 percent of Democrats believe the United States should have stayed out of Iraq, and more than 60 percent want US troops home as soon as possible. A Washington Post/ABC poll finds that 70 percent of Independents feel the war was not worth it, and 33 percent of Republicans agree. Even 72 percent of our troops believe US forces should leave Iraq in the next year. Read more...

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On Thursday, June 8, 2006 U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada's commanding officer moved to prosecute Lt. Watada for protected speech. An official investigation into his public speech in opposition to the illegal war in Iraq is underway. Lt. Watada was read his rights and declined to make a statement without a lawyer present.

Peace Takes Courage
See her video

For What it's Worth Video

The Time Is Now

Hawaii Foundation of Democratic Women
Maui Beach Hotel, June 10th.

            

Keynote by Joshua Dawson ~ Served on active duty as an Infantry Radioman with the Army's 25th Infantry Division from 1998 to 2005. He was due to get out of the service in 2004 but was trapped by the Army's Stop loss/ Stop Movement policy and was deployed to Iraq from Jan 2004 to Jan 2005 ... to a war that he opposed from the beginning. Spending no more than three months at any one location, Joshua’s unit conducted combat operations in Tuz Kurmatzu, Tall Affar, An Najaf (twice), Kirkuk, Sammara, and ended in Mousil. Joshua completed his entire military obligation and was honorably discharged in April of 2005.

He now shares his experiences to aid in ending the unjust occupation of Iraq as well as the continued loss of American soldiers and Iraqi civilians.

Joshua lives in Honolulu, Hawai’i and is the organizer for the Hawai’i Chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War as well as Volunteer counselor with the GI RIGHTS HOTLINE.

Bill Stroud ~ Vietnam Combat Veteran who served as a Helicopter Crew Chief and Door Gunner from '67 to '69. Bill is a Founder of the Vietnam Veterans of Maui County, a 20-year old non-profit organization formed to focus on Veterans Issues. He currently serves as its President, is married and has a 9 year old son.

Kuuipo Lilikoi ~ 14 year Army Reservist who fought in Iraq March 2004 to March 2005. A graduate of Lahaina Luna High School, Kuuipo was born on Oahu, works in Kaanapali, and has three children.

The Nation
by John Nichols

"...The Dixie Chicks have for the past three years taken more hits than any other musicians because, ten days before Bush ordered the invasion and occupation of Iraq, Maines told a cheering crowd at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire theater: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

For the "crime" of prematurely voicing a sentiment that is now close to universal in the US--with more than two-thirds of Americans expressing disapproval of Bush--the Dixie Chicks were hit with a full-frontal assault by right-wing media. Talk radio and television labeled them the Ditzy Chicks and their popular songs suddenly were yanked from country-music playlists. Boycotts were announced..." Read more...

So, Haditha becomes another of the names at which we wince, along with Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and My Lai. Tell you what: Let’s not use the “stress of combat” excuse this time. According to neighbors, the girls in the family of Younis Khafif—the one who kept pleading in English, “I am a friend. I am good”—were 14, 10, 5, 3 and 1. What are they going to say? “Under stress of combat, we thought the baby was 2”?

“We have a Haditha every day,” said Muhanned Jasim, an Iraqi merchant. “Were [those killed in Haditha] the first Iraqis to be killed for no reason?” asked Ghasan Jayih, a pharmacist. Well no, but we Americans don’t count collateral damage unless we’re forced to. We prefer to ignore collateral damage, especially if they’re under 5.  Read the article

OLYMPIA, Washington - A ship carrying military gear bound for Iraq pulled away from this Puget Sound port Wednesday evening after a week of protests in which more than three dozen people were arrested.

At least 100 protesters chanted "Stop that boat!" as the 950-foot cargo ship pulled away from a dock at the Port of Olympia.

Anti-war protesters attach a banner that reads 'against all terrorism' to the fence at the Port of Olympia Wednesday, May 31, 2006, in Olympia, Wash., where about 100 people were demonstrating against a 950-foot military cargo ship, seen in the background, bound for Iraq. The mood was lighter than previous nights where more than 20 were arrested and pepper spray was used. The USNS Pomeroy left the port later in the evening. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
The demonstrators also staged a brief "die-in" on the ground to illustrate their opposition to the war in Iraq. There were no immediate arrests, as protesters confined themselves to yelling at law enforcement personnel on hand.  Read more...

The intrepid Molly Ivins recently wrote that she was fed up with "every calculating, equivocating, triangulating, straddling, hair-splitting son of a bitch" in Washington DC. "This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one," Molly proclaimed. "It is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass.

"Take a Stand by Signing the Voters Pledge! What if millions decided to vote their conscience and said 'No More War Candidates'? The Voters Pledge makes visible a powerful political force, the peace vote, a force that politicians cannot continue to ignore. It sends a clear message to the hawkish minority that leads both major parties to end the occupation of Iraq and to end unprovoked attacks on other nations. Sign the Voters Pledge and ask at least 10 of your friends to sign as well. You can help get 2 million signers in 2006!