Winter Soldier Hearings - Prelude
by expatbrian
The first Winter Soldier hearings were held in 1971 and sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Against the War and other anti-war groups. Today will be the first of 4 days of Winter Soldier hearings concerning the Iraq and Afghanistan occupations.
As a prelude to this event, I thought it might be interesting and valuable to view part of the hearings from the original event. My understanding is that the format will be the same and all testimony will be recorded. For a list of sources to view or listen to the proceedings go here.
The stories you will hear on these two videos are horrifying but true. Keep in mind that these men were, almost without exception, 19 and 20 years old when they witnessed or took part in these events. Watch the lack of emotion, the absence of feeling. It is an almost universal byproduct of that war for veterans.
I have a feeling that what we will see and hear over the next 4 days at the current Winter Soldier hearings will be very much the same. Without further ado, I give you Part 1 and Part 2 of 5 parts. Winter Soldier - 1971.
For other vids go to YouTube and search for Winter Soldier.
cross posted from World Gone Mad
The first Winter Soldier hearings were held in 1971 and sponsored by Vietnam Veterans Against the War and other anti-war groups. Today will be the first of 4 days of Winter Soldier hearings concerning the Iraq and Afghanistan occupations.
As a prelude to this event, I thought it might be interesting and valuable to view part of the hearings from the original event. My understanding is that the format will be the same and all testimony will be recorded. For a list of sources to view or listen to the proceedings go here.
The stories you will hear on these two videos are horrifying but true. Keep in mind that these men were, almost without exception, 19 and 20 years old when they witnessed or took part in these events. Watch the lack of emotion, the absence of feeling. It is an almost universal byproduct of that war for veterans.
I have a feeling that what we will see and hear over the next 4 days at the current Winter Soldier hearings will be very much the same. Without further ado, I give you Part 1 and Part 2 of 5 parts. Winter Soldier - 1971.
For other vids go to YouTube and search for Winter Soldier.
cross posted from World Gone Mad
Labels: Iraq, veterans, Winter Soldier
posted by Libby Spencer at 8:48 AM
3 Comments:
What has our flag become other than a symbol of denial? This is very powerful stuff Brian, yet in all the subsequent years, it hasn't sunk in to most skulls that this will happen again and again when the same circumstances are repeated. It hasn't sunk in that we are not always the good guys, that our mission isn't self-justifying and that people who are true patriots don't want their country rebuilding the Roman Empire - or any other empire of horror.
I'm still being denounced for condemning that war and perhaps my grandchildren will be denounced for condemning this one - and maybe the next and the next. That's if the lapel pin pinheads and flag worshipers haven't made history disappear.
Really, in at least one way, it has become comical. Any American who still believes that people around the world respect us as a nation is in a dream world. The primary feelings I see are fear, because we have become unpredictable and brutal, and disgust, because of our continued arrogance. Even with the US market dragging down other world markets, many folks hope that the American economy collapses - just for the sheer fun of watching it happen. I don't blame them one bit.
there's a movie called FTA (fuck the army) featuring jane fonda john kerry and others from this era. it's not available officially but a bunch of places online have it. I haven't seen it
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