The drama over Peskoff’s resignation
Jeff Peskoff, the member of our little community here at TAH who resigned from IVAW this morning “friended” me at Facebook so I could witness the drama over there as another valued IVAW member left the fold. It’s instructive to read what influence the old VFP/VVAW members hold over the younger members. After the letter that I posted this morning, Jeff wrote;
Tomorrow I will burn my f***in T-shirts. Hopefully someday this war will end or we (the intellectually effective) anti-Iraq War vets will come together to bring it to an end.
To the point that Jeff made in regards to Carl Webb, Ward Reilly, our own phony Ranger, replied;
“The Right Wingers”. That’s us, I’m so proud. But now two months after I wrote the post about Webb, they begin to ask each other if he belongs with them. Little late? This is the third or fourth member to leave (that I know of) because of Webb, not to mention Chiroux.
Reilly admits that he’d rather keep Peskoff than Webb, though, but not before he claims that everyone who went to the war in Iraq is a criminal – including himself because he didn’t stop Peskoff from going. Notice Army Sergeant in there swinging for the honorable service of those who answered their nation’s call;
Reilly goes on to justify Webb’s contention that Iraqis are right to kill Americans. Set aside the fact that mostly we’re killing Al Qaeda at this point.
That comment from Peskoff about the oath of enlistment came from TSO’s post yesterday. I’m so proud.
I’m just sitting here waiting for the day I can post Army Sergeant’s resignation letter, but I’ll probably have to wait until after the IVAW convention next month.
Here’s a question for John Grant; why are you over here defending the “honor” of your organization when it looks like IVAW is falling apart at the seams. You and Reilly should be calling the IVAW board and convince them to kick Carl Webb and Matthis Chiroux to the curb before some more members bolt.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Phony soldiers, Usual Suspects
I remember it like it was yesterday, man. Orders from The Man said I had to move out…but I didn’t…well, I DID, but I did it my way. And when they came to gather up my gear, I hid most of it, because the new shit they issued bound up and wouldn’t feed, plus the paint on the new shit was weak. So I ended up in the bottom of the HQ…in the dark…all my crap stacked up…and that bastard SSGT Lumberg took my freakin’ 7.62mm Swingline! I was so fed up, I could…burn the building down!!! And there were BIG GRAINS OF SALT!!!!
CPL Jesse Webb McMilton
404st Initech Brigage Batallion
PC L’oadlettah, Iraq 2005-2006
I am honestly touched that he cited to my piece about the Oath of Enlistment.
(If you didn’t get from me, please don’t disabuse me of that, it is rare that TSO feels so content.)
And Claymore, classic.
TSO,
Of course it’s from you!
Well, SSGT Lumberg said I could listen to AFR between 0900hrs and 1100hrs as long as I kept the volume reasonable…
I don’t know why Jeff keeps engaging them. I forgot about Ward Reilly after he finished trying to “lecture” me on why someone who never went to Iraq should be permitted to call himself an Iraq veteran. Before that incident, I’d heard his name tossed around with reverence. I suppose that is why he thinks he is qualified to lecture people. The truth is that he’s just some nut-job coonass from the Louisiana backwoods.
Believing the war in Iraq is wrong and trying to get our elected representatives to change our government’s policies is one thing. Engaging in treason by trying to get soldiers to kill one another in a combat zone is something else entirely. It is treason. IVAW, by not repudiating the words and actions of a member of their organization guilty of inciting treason, are themselves complicit in that crime. But to hear their internal pontification about the fall of “the movement,” it is the fault of Obama’s election. It has nothing to do with them tacitly endorsing treason. These people have a tenuous relationship with the real world.
In one situation you’ll hear them say that soldiers don’t know what they’re doing, that they’re just children from poor minority communities recruited into the military because our corrupt capitalist society doesn’t give them any other options. In the next situation, these nut-jobs are declaring that everyone in the military is a criminal who deserves to be killed
Based on the lack of availability of ammo that I’ve seen throughout the South due to good ol’ boys stocking up since this past January, if their socialist revolution does come, it probably won’t go to well for the socialists.
CR,
why engage??? because it’s fun
Jeff said “I will never again join an anti-war organization that allows non-combat veterans to be their spokesperson.” But isn’t Selena Coppa a non-combat veteran like most females? And wasn’t Jeff a mechanic or pay clerk?
And I definitely endorse treason against this evil government. Isn’t desertion an act of treason.
And tell Jeff I’m on Facebook so he can friend me.
Hey fool,
I was mechanic that actually went to Iraq. Now since you don’t understand the meaning of “combat veteran” let me enlighten you. A combat veteran is not only an infantryman nor is it only just men. It’s a veteran who has seen combat. Pretty simple. Since I’ve seen your military record (thanks TAH) you would not be considered a combat veteran.
Was I a pay clerk? Yes, after I got medically retired after serving 11 years on active duty I decided to support our troops by continuing to serve as a civilian at DFAS.
Lastly, Mr. Webb, I know you have a facebook account and you have requested me to be your friend numerous times on facebook. Do you really think that I would be friends with the guy who advocates killing my fellow troops? You can’t be that stupid??
This straw man is tiresome. When told that someone shouldn’t call themselves an Iraq veteran unless they have served in Iraq, people like Webb and Reilly will try to make the debate about “elitism” or comparing medals. That is simply not the case, and one only has to look to the comments from people like Webb and Reilly to confirm that although they wish to advance their agendas based on the value placed on the title “veteran” by the population at large, they themselves give the term no value.
It was in Porter’s resignation comments page that Ward Reilly reduced this argument to its simplest, most base, and silliest form. He attempted to articulate that during VIetnam, they understood “veteran” to mean anyone who was affected by the war, be they service member, or friend or family to that service member. It is under this justification that Webb considers himself an “Iraq veteran.”
Don’t be surprised when you see aunts, uncles and cousins of actual Iraq veterans being permitted to join IVAW.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3725870461_9e237f4f63_o.png
“And I definitely endorse treason against this evil government.”
From the couch space you’ve been begging for??? Are you using couch potato-mashers or the couch potato gun??
“And wasn’t Jeff a mechanic or pay clerk?”
” was mechanic that actually went to Iraq. Now since you don’t understand the meaning of “combat veteran” let me enlighten you.”
Mechanics can most definitely get bang-bang made at them. When I was in combat, we had a mechanic vehicle recovery crew with us on operations. They got shot at & shot back at the bad guys.
References: Deathtraps The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II Belton Cooper
Raissi,
Was there /ever/ a time socialist revolution ideas went well for the socialists, especially in America? I thought that was why they wanted to use us as their front, because none of them can figure out “this side towards enemy”. 😉
(side note: that would be funny. “No no. That’s just what the capitalist oppressors WANT you to think! You need to face it at yourself!”)
Ok, I did not read all the replies, but I will comment on one post made by Ward Reilly on my latest FIRE MISSION trailer:
“About IED’s…. listen to a current U.S. soldier, in Iraq, in Casey’s own new film, talking about them here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXGjTQRdeLo… Read More
He says, and I quote “if Iraq invaded the USA, I’d be the dude planting the bomb under the road, hell ya, I’d kill them….get the fuck out of my country.”… Read More
So, isn’t Casey DIRECTLY advocating that Iraqi’s kill U.S. troops. You decide.”
I am in NO WAY advocating violence against Soldiers. That is small piece of an overall film that when viewed as a whole, has a different meaning. There is a world of difference from understanding why they fight us in the methods they do, and saying that it’s ok to kill Soldiers and advocating sabotage like Carl Webb does. I am extremely pissed off that anyone would ever suggest that I would advocate such action.
Film is, and will always be, highly subjective, but do not EVER lump me into that crowd. I can’t believe you would say something like that.
Casey, I don’t agree with you on much, but I never ever took anything in your films to be anti-US even in teh slightest. And I would never lump you in with that jackass.
I join the crowd of people who refuse to be facebook friends with Carl Webb. We do not want to be friends with you, Carl. Is it that hard to understand? Bad enough to be in the same organization, but anything more is just asking a little too much. Fortunately you don’t do anything productive, so our paths don’t cross ever.
Carl, aren’t you a little old to be this pathetic, seriously? It was one thing when I thought you were just 20 and naive. But do you plan to be living off other people’s couches and spouting armchair treason (literally) for the rest of your life?
“Well, SSGT Lumberg said I could listen to AFR between 0900hrs and 1100hrs as long as I kept the volume reasonable…”
Someone has a case of “The Deployments”….
We know what is up, Casey. There is a difference between a theoretical philosophical thought experiment, which is what is being engaged in by the soldier in your video, and a clear campaign of treason, such as that conducted by Webb, that unquestionably advocates active duty soldiers committing fratricide. Ward Reilly lives on a different planet, one in which people who never served a day in the military can be referred to as veterans. Carl Webb lives in a different galaxy.
ArmySergeant, that is a good point. Though, as I recall my experiences, I can recall times when they could figure out which direction was front. “You guys get out in front. We don’t have a permit for this march. They’ll never arrest veterans.” So I’m standing out in front of signs containing leftist propaganda that has nothing to do with the war, theoretically risking arrest, only there to serve as a buffer between them and the police and give their “progressive” politics credibility. They sure as hell knew which side was front when confrontation with the Atlanta Police Department was a possibility.
Given their expertise in passive aggressiveness, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were trying to assume a Sun Tzu inspired position of apparent weakness while occupying an actual position of strength. But then I remember, the weakness isn’t an illusion. It is their reality. All that is needed is for those with the actual credibility, those serving as a buffer for their radical agenda, to walk away. Hopefully you do the same. There are ways to take care of soldiers and speak out for what is right without giving these clowns credibility.
CRaissi:
I’m actually thinking about starting a small group which advocates for the right of soldiers to dissent and use their Constitutional freedoms without suffering reprisals. Said group would defend individual soldiers and provide them with vehicles for speech, help with GI presses, etc. Let me know if you’re interested. All vet, all the time! 😉 I mean, it might not involve so many protest marches, and involve a lot more advocacy for rules to be changed and stuff, and there probably won’t be as many rockstar opportunities, but I think it could do a lot of good.
You make a good point though, though I know that point has failed for them before, whiel the police simply went around the veterans and started arresting the rowdy people behind the vets, given that the vets were fairly well behaved and cooperative.