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| Fifth Column |
| American Leftists Now Openly (Criminally) Inciting The Military To Mutiny |
| 2007-10-06 |
| Country music legend Willie Nelson, literary icon Gore Vidal, Gold Star Mother Cindy Sheehan, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, retired U.S. Army Colonel Ann Wright, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega, author and radio host Thom Hartmann, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Rabbi Steven Jacobs, and dozens of other prominent Americans have signed a letter asking the Joint Chiefs of Staff and all U.S. military personnel to refuse orders to launch an aggressive war on Iran. The letter has been posted as a petition for others to sign at http://www.dontattackiran.org The text of the letter follows: ATTENTION: Joint Chiefs of Staff and all U.S. Military Personnel: Do not attack Iran. Any preemptive U.S. attack on Iran would be illegal. Any preemptive U.S. attack on Iran would be criminal. We, the citizens of the United States, respectfully urge you, courageous men and women of our military, to refuse any order to preemptively attack Iran, a nation that represents no serious or immediate threat to the United States. To attack Iran, a sovereign nation of 70-million people, would be a crime of the highest magnitude. Legal basis for our Request – Do not attack Iran: The Nuremberg Principles, which are part of US law, provide that all military personnel have the obligation not to obey illegal orders. The Army Field Manual 27-10, sec. 609 and UCMJ, art. 92, incorporate this principle. Article 92 says: "A general order or regulation is lawful unless it is contrary to the Constitution, the law of the United States …" Any provision of an international treaty ratified by the United States becomes the law of the United States. The United States is a party and signatory to the United Nations Charter, of which Article II, Section 4 states, "All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state…" As Iran has not attacked the United States, and as the U.S. is a party and signatory to the Charter, any attack on Iran by the U.S. would be illegal under not only international law but under the U.S. Constitution which recognizes our treaties as the Supreme Law of the Land. When you joined the military, you took an oath to defend our Constitution. Following the orders of your government or superior does not relieve you from responsibility under international law. Under the Principles of International Law recognized in the Charter of the Nuremberg Tribunal, complicity in the commission of war crime is a crime under international law. Background: The Bush Administration's charges against Iran have not been proven. Neither the development of nuclear weapons, nor providing assistance to Iraq would, if proven, constitute justification for an illegal war. An attack on Iran might prompt the formidable Iranian military to attack U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. Thousands of our soldiers might be killed or captured as prisoners of war. A U.S. attack against Iranian nuclear facilities could also mean the deaths, from radiation poisoning, of tens of thousands of innocent Iranian civilians. The people of Iran have little control over their government, yet would suffer tremendously should the U.S. attack. Bombing raids would amount to collective punishment, a violation of the Geneva Convention, and would surely sow the seeds of hatred for generations to come. Children make up a quarter of Iran's population. Above all, we ask you to look at the record of our actions in Iraq, which U.S. intelligence admits is “a cause celebre for jihadists” – a situation that did not exist before we attacked. We must face the fact that our rash use of military solutions has created more enemies, and made American families less safe. Diplomacy, not war, is the answer. Know the Risks Involved in Refusing an Illegal Order or Signing This Statement: We knowingly and willingly make this plea, aware of the risk that, in violation of our First Amendment rights, we could be charged under remaining sections of the unconstitutional Espionage Act or other unconstitutional statute, and that we could be fined, imprisoned, or barred from government employment. We make this plea, also aware that you have no easy options. If you obey an illegal order to participate in an aggressive attack on Iran, you could potentially be charged with war crimes. If you heed our call and disobey an illegal order you could be falsely charged with crimes including treason. You could be falsely court martialed. You could be imprisoned. (To talk to a lawyer or to learn more about possible consequences, contact The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, Courage to Resist, Center on Conscience and War, Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild 415-566-3732, or the GI Rights Hotline at 877-447-4487.) ** Final request: Our leaders often say that military force should be a last resort. We beg you to make that policy a reality, and refuse illegal orders to attack Iran. We promise to support you for protecting the American public and innocent civilians abroad. Our future, the future of our children and their children, rests in your hands. You know the horrors of war. You can stop the next one. Sincerely, Daniel Ellsberg, Thom Hartmann, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Cynthia McKinney, Willie Nelson, Cindy Sheehan, Norman Solomon, Elizabeth de la Vega, Gore Vidal, Ann Wright, James Abourezk, former U.S. Senator, (D) South Dakota Stacy Bannerman, Author, "When the War Came Home", Military Families Speak Out Charter Board member John Bonifaz, constitutional attorney and author of "Warrior-King: The Case for Impeaching George W. Bush." Amy Branham, Gold Star Mother of Sgt. Jeremy R. Smith, US Army Reserves, Nov. 1981-Feb. 2004 Blase Bonpane, Ph.d, Director OFFICE OF THE AMERICAS David Clennon, Actor/activist Tim Carpenter, Executive Director, Progressive Democrats of America Daniel Ellsberg, author of "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers." David Cobb, 2004 Green Party Presidential Candidate Jeff Cohen, author/media critic Elizabeth de la Vega, former federal prosecutor and author of U.S. v. George W. Bush Karen Dolan, Director, Cities for Progress/Cities for Peace Anne Feeney, activist/folksinger or Local 1000, AFM Mike Ferner, Navy corpsman; Secretary, Veterans for Peace Bob Fertik, President Democrats.com Laura Flanders, Radio Host on Air America Bruce K. Gagnon, Coordinator Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space Lila Garrett, KPFK Host of “Connect the Dots” Liberty Godshall, writer, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council Hon. Jackie Goldberg, California Assembly Member (AD 45), retired. Kevin Alexander Gray, writer, and organizer with the Harriet Tubman Freedom House Project Representative Betty Hall, Hillsborough District 5, New Hampshire General Court David L. Harris, MD Tom Hayden Thom Hartmann, author and Air America radio host Valerie Heinonen, o.s.u., Ursulines of Tildonk for Justice and Peace Jenny Heinz , member of CodePink, member of Granny Peace Brigade Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Los Angeles Michael Jay, Steering Committee, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles Charles Jenks, co-founder and editor of traprockpeace.org Justice Through Music Antonia Juhasz, author, The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time Jerry Kass, playwright and professor at Columbia University Dr, Nazir Khaja ,Chairman, Islamic Information Service, Los Angeles, CA. Mimi Kennedy, National Chair, Progressive Democrats of America Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor, Tikkun and Chair, the Network of Spiritual Progressives Summer Lipford, Gold Star Mother,NC 28677 David Lindorff, Author, The Case for Impeachment Alice Lynn, Delegate, California Democratic Party (41st AD) Ben Manski, Executive Director, Liberty Tree Ray McGovern, Army infantry/intelligence officer, 1962-64; CIA analyst 1964-90. Cynthia Mckinney, former Congresswoman Barbara Mills-Bria, Be The Change-USA Bill Moyer, Executive Director, Backbone Campaign Willie Nelson, Entertainer, Peace Activist Annie Nelson, Sustainable Biodiesel/Peace Activist Honorable Eric Oemig – Washington State Senator Geov Parrish, Executive Director Peace Action of Washington Jacob Park, Founder, A28. Brad Parker, Officer of the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party Bill Perry, Director, Delaware Valley Veterans For America Gareth Porter, investigative journalist and historian Marcus Raskin, member of National Security Council Staff under President Kennedy Dorothy Reik, President, Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains Coleen Rowley, retired FBI Agent and former Chief Division Counsel of Minneapolis Division of the FBI Bill Scheurer, Editor, PeaceMajority Report Randi Scheurer, IL-Dist. 8, Congressional Candidate Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace Alice Slater, Abolition 2000 New York Norman Solomon, Author and syndicated columnist David Swanson, Afterdowningstreet.org John Stauber, Co-author, "Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq" Jonathan Tasini, PDA NY Ethel Tobach, Ph. D., member of Psychologists for Social Responsibility Tina Richards CEO Grassroots Americaredith, Gold Star Mother, Proud Mom of Lt Ken Ballard- KIA 5.30.04 Gore Vidal, Author Marcy Winograd, President, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles Ann Wright, US Army Colonel (Retired) and US diplomat who resigned in March, 2003 in opposition to the Iraq war. Kevin Zeese on behalf of Voters for Peace and Democracy Rising Velvet Revolution ** These resources are publicly available, and our offering them does not indicate that these organizations support this petition. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #24 I am sure they signed a petition to ask Iran to stop killing out troops in Iraq. I am sure. I am SO these |
| Posted by: Woozle Ulish3488 2007-10-06 23:00 |
| #23 U.S. Embassy. Strike one. According to former FBI Director Louis Freeh, we've got Iran cold on Khobar Towers. Strike two. SCOTUS already recognized the "Expanding Theatre of War" during the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Strike three. These fuckers are out. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2007-10-06 21:34 |
| #22 None of these people will see any support from me. I will not pay to watch their programs, I will not buy their material, I will not mention them to others (except with derision), I will not listen to radio stations that broadcast their materials (big deal - I don't listen to radio anyway, but just saying), and I will not acknowledge their presence, that they are citizens of the United States, or that they have any intrinsic worth other than as fertilizer. Bravo, Old Patriot. This is the sort of financial, intellectual and physical boycott that must be imposed upon Rosie O'Donnell, Michael Moore and all of their verminous co-conspirators. All of us need to increase public awareness of the threat Islam poses and the inaction or outright collaboration that so often greets us. Just the other night, I took an extra few minutes to tell a young woman at a nearby store about the Saudi schoolgirls that burned to death and other diseased facets of shari'a law. She grew evermore stunned and I used the opportunity to close with a request that she please tell all of her friends about this ongoing war upon the West. We will succeed in this war against Islam by winning one mind at a time here at home. All of us know by now that we cannot trust the media to assist in any way. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-10-06 20:23 |
| #21 Now I have a target list... None of these people will see any support from me. I will not pay to watch their programs, I will not buy their material, I will not mention them to others (except with derision), I will not listen to radio stations that broadcast their materials (big deal - I don't listen to radio anyway, but just saying), and I will not acknowledge their presence, that they are citizens of the United States, or that they have any intrinsic worth other than as fertilizer. May God deal with them as He will, the traitorous swine. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-10-06 19:25 |
| #20 Not sure what happened to Willy Nelson, maybe too much weed or the Hollywood crowd. |
| Posted by: RWV 2007-10-06 19:05 |
| #19 wishful thinking - they want us to LOSE |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-10-06 18:39 |
| #18 might prompt the formidable Iranian military to attack LOL, the Iranians ghostwrote this for them? |
| Posted by: KBK 2007-10-06 18:32 |
| #17 Iran initiated the Islamic Cold War against us in 1979, but we need to be subtle in how we progress toward winning it. Until we have exhausted every form of subversion, diplomatic and economic pressure at our disposal a direct physical confrontation between the U.S. and Iran should be avoided. As things are now progressing, the likelihood is great that Iraq will be stabilized before Iran's nuclear weapons development program can come to fruition. This would strengthen our hand in dealing with them and give us time to attempt the overthrow of the mullahcracy by less drastic means. Of course if it is determined that Iran's nuclear program is prematurely approaching completion Israeli and/or U.S. aerial actions could be taken to degrade the facilities, but we are not there yet. As for the Useful Idiot Brigades who signed this petition, most of these deluded Leftists probably see Iran as a harmless victim of American imperialist aggression. While I do not believe there is anything criminal about the petition, it seems as laughably foolhardy as a similar 1930's petition aimed at heading off war with Nazi Germany would have been. |
| Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-10-06 18:30 |
| #16 On reflection, the current precedent as set by the SCOTUS is Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969): "It held that government cannot punish inflammatory speech unless it is directed to inciting *and* likely to incite imminent lawless action." So they would find that unless the president had already issued orders to the military that conflict with Iran is imminent, *and* some military personnel, having received this warning order, were already citing their intention to disobey it, based on this letter, then this letter would be legal. They would probably have to cite a second, subsequent letter, after the order was issued. However, whether or not it was a lawful order in the first place, would not be in question, as both the WH legal staff and the Attorney General would need to make determinations before the fact that it was legal, both by US and international law. So legality would be presumed until the president's order was challenged in court, probably much later. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-10-06 18:25 |
| #15 nicely stated, Greg |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-10-06 17:19 |
| #14 Silly leftists, facts are for kids! Fact: The 1979 attack on and occupation of the US embassy in Tehran for 444 days constituted an unprovoked attack and occupation of US soil. Under the UN charter, a nation is allowed to defend itself and its territory by any means necessary, when and where the state under attack decides to respond. Fact: Multiple assassinations and attacks on US installations around the world by one terrorist group or another have been directly linked to Iran and/or it's state-sponsored terrorist groups. Under international law and the Geneva Convention, an attack on a foreign nation by a state-sponsored group can be considered an attack on the foreign nation by the state sponsoring the group that conducted the attack(s). Fact: Technology and weapons used to kill US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have been directly linked to Iran and/or its state-sponsored terrorist groups. Under international law, a state sponsoring the deaths of another state's soldiers in any fashion can be considered to have made a direct attack upon the state whose soldiers are dying by use of weapons supplied by the other state. Fact: A nation whose ally or allies are attacked by a foreign power is permitted by international law to respond to the attack upon its ally or allies in a manner such that the responding and allied power had been itself attacked by the offending state. Fact: Iran declared war upon the United States of America not just once in 1979, but many times since. By Iran's own past and current actions it has provoked not only direct confrontation with the United States, but direct response by the United States to Iran's unprovoked and continued attacks upon the United States, its citizens, and its allies. Unprovoked, my ass. Iran has it coming and has had it coming since 1979 at least. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-10-06 16:42 |
| #13 Let’s understand some fundamental concepts. Oath. The enlisted oath has a line to ‘obey the President and the officers appointed over them’. The officer oath is only to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. Fidelity is to the compact that forms the United States. The latter instance is of allegiance to law is pointed out because of several historic individuals obtained similar oaths of loyalty to themselves and not to law or a concept of law. One just has to look south to Hugo to see the process at work. No where is there cited Constitutional law as the basis for the military to obey such direction. The only way to do so would for the structure of law to be set aside to include those Constitutional guarantees of liberty these wretched few are exercising. What can not be achieved through the proper organs of democratic government they seek to impose. What they are expressing is clearly sedition. As they sow, so shall they reap. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-10-06 15:43 |
| #12 Has Iran attacked the US? ummmmmmm....yes, I believe that the embassy takeover and hostage crises during Carter's aministration is all the provocation we need. That, along with what could be credible evidence that DenimJacket took a leading role in that attack, would seem to provide more than enough legal precedence. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2007-10-06 15:15 |
| #11 Any preemptive U.S. attack on Iran would be illegal. Any preemptive U.S. attack on Iran would be criminal. Bullshit strawman argument for openers. I stopped reading right there. Thank goodness I don't recognize a lot of the names on their list of political traitors. If they had any conviction, they would volunteer to chain themselves to the Iranian reactors and centrifuges. Bingo, ed. Let's see just how dedicated they really are. Moreover, the declaration of the IRG as a terrorist organization, the discovery of Iranian agents and military personnel involved in killing US personnel, and the various other depredations of the Iranians can all be interpreted as casus belli. Which they are. Iran has declared war upon the United States of America countless times. It's long past tea to take these terrorist scumbag thugs at their word. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-10-06 15:11 |
| #10 Oh, and that first paragraph was a quote from Glenmore's comment. |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2007-10-06 14:58 |
| #9 I don't believe this petition is criminal: it is correct in saying the military is actually required to disobey unlawful orders, and it is legitimately debatable whether orders to attack Iran would be lawful. Glenmore, this is a legitimate point where the intent of those calling for disobedience of an order is an honest concern for propriety and legality. But that is not the case with these signatories; they are not concerned with sincerely advising the military about the legality of an order, they are concerned with subverting the lawful authority of a commander-in-chief that they hate. Moreover, the declaration of the IRG as a terrorist organization, the discovery of Iranian agents and military personnel involved in killing US personnel, and the various other depredations of the Iranians can all be interpreted as casus belli. |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2007-10-06 14:57 |
| #8 They need to be careful what they ask for. If the military does go against the government and cross the Rubicon, these morons will be the first rounded up. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-10-06 14:52 |
| #7 Also known as the To Be Deported List. If they had any conviction, they would volunteer to chain themselves to the Iranian reactors and centrifuges. “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mualem in Tehran on Tuesday assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives.” ... Is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism? But you had best know that this slogan and this goal are attainable, and surely can be achieved…The people who sit in closed rooms cannot decide on this matter. The Islamic people cannot allow this historical enemy to exist in the heart of the Islamic world.” |
| Posted by: ed 2007-10-06 14:39 |
| #6 The first rule of giving speeches is know your audience. I'm thinking the military is not exactly receptive to this boatload of lefty lunatics. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2007-10-06 14:15 |
| #5 usual POS's - I see Coleen Rowley is still trying to be relevant. F*ck her |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-10-06 14:02 |
| #4 I don't believe this petition is criminal: it is correct in saying the military is actually required to disobey unlawful orders, and it is legitimately debatable whether orders to attack Iran would be lawful. At the moment, it is not clear to me that such orders would be lawful. Or that they would not. It comes down to whether Iran has or has not actually attacked the US. Iranians have. And the Iranian government talks big. And I personally believe the attacks are government sponsored. But belief is not proof, and governmental plausible deniability is going to be a continuing problem for us in developing anti-terrorism strategies. (The problem is compounded by the perceived lack of competence of our intelligence agencies, and the inherent impossibility of publically proving their competence.) |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-10-06 13:58 |
| #3 Yup...that list of names convinced me. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2007-10-06 13:54 |
| #2 I'd like to see 'em 2 at a time in the electric chair, with one on another's lap. Keep the juice on til there's a brownout... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-10-06 13:45 |
| #1 They're getting desperate and bold. None of the Vietnam-era tactics are working to their satisfaction so they're going to have to try ever-more-brazen provocations. If Hillary doesn't get elected, things will get interesting. |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2007-10-06 13:38 |