[Texgreen] Fwd: Iraq tribunal to present Lt. Watada case (Jan. 20-21, Tacoma WA)

Craig MIller loveandrage@ureach.com
Mon, 11 Dec 2006 11:42:17 -0500 

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Please post and circulate widely .....

 +++++++++++++++++++++

 CITIZENS' HEARING ON THE
 LEGALITY OF U.S. ACTIONS IN IRAQ

 January 20-21, 2007
 Tacoma, Washington, USA
 http://www.WarTribunal.org

 +++++++++++++++++++++

 The Citizens' Hearing on the Legality of U.S. Actions in Iraq will be
held on January 20-21, 2007, in Tacoma, Washington, two weeks before
the Feb. 5 court martial of Lieutenant Ehren Watada at Fort Lewis. The
Citizens' Hearing will function as a tribunal to put the Iraq War on
trial, in response to the Army putting Lt. Watada on trial as the
first U.S. military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq.

 Please help bring out the truth about the Iraq War by donating today.
By helping the Citizens' Hearing document the legal case against the
war, you will help present the case for Lt. Ehren Watada--and for
those who may follow his example. By highlighting the illegality of
U.S. actions in Iraq, the tribunal can inform military personnel and
other citizens to reflect deeply on their roles and responsibilities
in an illegal war.

 We intend for the Citizens' Hearing to heighten the discussion of the
Iraq invasion and occupation in the public--and within the military
itself--as similar tribunals did during the Vietnam War. We are
inviting testimony by Iraq War witnesses and experts. Your donation
will be used to bring the testifiers and panelists to Tacoma and to
record the event so everyone can benefit from the testimony.

 The hearing will present the case that Lt. Watada would, if allowed,
make at his court martial. His defense attorneys maintain that the war
on Iraq is illegal under international treaties and under Article Six
of the U.S. Constitution. Further, Lt. Watada's defense argues that
the Nuremberg Principles and U.S. military regulations require
soldiers to follow only "lawful orders." In Lt. Watada's view,
deployment to Iraq would have made him party to the crimes that
permeate the structure and conduct of military operations there.

 The format of the Citizens' Hearing will resemble that of a
congressional committee, employing a dignified approach to gathering
information. Testimony will be offered by Iraq War veterans, experts
in international law and war crimes, and human rights advocates. Your
gift of funds (or frequent flyer miles) will enable more of these
clear voices to be heard by people around the country and the world.
Among the figures that have committed to testify are:

 * Daniel Ellsberg, military analyst who released the Pentagon Papers
in the Vietnam War;
 * Denis Halliday, Former UN Assistant Secretary General, coordinated
Iraq humanitarian aid;
 * Richard Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton
University;
 * Nadia McCaffrey, Gold Star Families Speak Out; Brussels Tribunal
advisory board;
 * Harvey Tharp, former U.S. Navy Lieutenant and JAG stationed in Iraq;
 * Antonia Juhasz, policy-analyst and author on U.S. economic policies in Iraq;
 * John Burroughs, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy executive director;
 * Eman Khammas, Iraqi human rights advocate (via video).
 * Benjamin G. Davis, Assoc. Law Prof., Univ. of Toledo; expert on law of war.

 A panel of citizens will hear the testimony, examine witnesses, and
issue a fact-finding report. The panel will be comprised of veterans,
members of military families, high school students, and
representatives of labor unions, local governments, academia, and
religious organizations. David Krieger, Director of the Nuclear Age
Peace Foundation and a member of the Jury of Conscience at the 2005
World Tribunal on Iraq (in New York and Istanbul) will serve as panel
chair.

 Panelists' questioning will focus on the legality of the war and
whether or not the invasion of Iraq in 2003 constituted a "crime
against the peace," whether the military occupation and economic
constriction of Iraq constitutes a "crime against humanity," and
whether individual soldiers have an obligation or duty to refuse
unlawful orders. We expect that this hearing will focus attention on
the role of the U.S. government--rather than that of individual
soldiers--in perpetrating the crimes of the Iraq War.

 The Citizens' Hearing will be hosted by The Evergreen State College's
Tacoma Campus (1210 6th Ave.) on January 20-21, 2007. Please consult
the Citizens' Hearing at http://www.WarTribunal.org for the schedule
and contact information. The Citizens' Hearing Advisory Board includes
Jeremy Brecher, David Krieger, Richard Falk, Nadia McCaffrey, Blase
Bonpane, Bishop Gumbleton, and others. For more information about the
case of Lt. Watada go to http://www.ThankYouLT.org

 The U.S. occupation of Iraq has lasted longer than our involvement in
World War II. Despite the recent election results raising many hopes
for a withdrawal from Iraq, few congressional leaders have questioned
the war's basic legality--only how it is being fought. We should now
remember that President Nixon's "withdrawal" from Vietnam took years
and was based on a dramatic escalation of violence. The Citizens'
Hearing will focus critical attention on the underlying premises of
the Iraq War at a critical time when its future is being decided.

 Thank you in advance for your generous support,

 The Organizing Committee for the
 Citizens' Hearing on the Legality of U.S. Actions in Iraq

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITIZENS' HEARING

 TO DONATE ONLINE: The Church Council of Greater Seattle is the
501(c)3 fiscal agent for the Citizens' Hearing. To donate online, go
to the Church Council of Greater Seattle:
http://www.churchcouncilseattle.org Go to 'give' then click on "Donate
Now Through Network for Good" button to reach the secure site. Then
choose "Designate a Fund" and put "Citizens' Hearing."

 TO DONATE BY MAIL: Checks can be made payable to CCGS, but be sure to
put "CITIZENS' HEARING" in the subject line. The CCGS will receive and
disburse the funds (which meet IRS criteria as a tax-deductible
charitable contribution). Checks should be mailed to: The Church
Council of Greater Seattle, Attn.: Citizens' Hearing, 4 Nickerson,
Suite 300, Seattle WA 98109.

 TO DONATE MILES: To offer Frequent Flyer miles to help bring
testifiers and panelists to the hearing, please send a "virtual"
pledge to us. Our tickets need to be purchased in advance. We will
handle all the details of transfering miles if you will pledge them
for this event. Just send the name of the airline and how many miles
are available to donatemiles@gmail.com We do not need your frequent
flier number or any other information yet. We especially need miles
from Alaska/Horizon air. As we get the tickets you will transfer them
directly to the guest speaker or witness that is coming to testify.
This is through the "share miles" programs and follows all of the
airline rules. These donated miles do NOT meet IRS criteria as a
charitable contribution, and are not the same as airline charitable
donations. If we cannot use your miles, or do not need them, you will
not lose them. (Many miles "expire" at the end of the calendar year if
not used.) For questions contact macgregoreddy@gmail.com



 "The best way to protect the lives of courageous young people who
serve in the military is to avoid war-making itself. One cannot kill
an idea with a gun, but only with a better idea. If people believe
that law is better than war, they must do all they can to enhance the
power of law and stop glorifying war."

 --Nuremberg Trials prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz




-- 
Is Bush's agenda working?  Fortune magazine reports that in 2006,
"Corporate America overall racked up a staggering $9.1 trillion in
sales and $610 billion in profits -- both records."

Antonia Juhasz
Visiting Scholar
Institute for Policy Studies
http://www.ips-dc.org

The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time.
by, Antonia Juhasz
ReganBooks/HarperCollins Publishers
April 25, 2006
http://www.thebushagenda.net




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