Live blogging Winter Soldier II (Part III)

The third portion is has to do with the evil corporations and the evil contractors.

Kelly Doughtery (a former MP, second from right in the photo above) testified that (Kellog, Brown and Root) contractors fired beanbag shotgun indiscriminately at Iraqi scanvengers while defending a broken down truck. She was then instructed to destroy the vehicle because it couldn’t be recovered. No one was injured or killed but she’s sure that being hit with beanbags hurts. It wore on her nerves because the Iraqis weren’t allowed to get the diesel fuel from the truck. I guess it really is a war for oil.

She just doesn’t like war – it made her clothes smell.

Louis Montalvan, who wore all of his medals on his sports jacket and sits third from the left in the photo, complained about Iraqi corruption, i think. He’s so long winded, I uploaded and posted the pictures in the GOE/EU thread above. I think he’s trying to make the point that we’re being lied to by the Iraqi government. I don’t know – he’s pretty full of himself and in love with sound of his own voice – I’m about ready to fall asleep. TSO and I arrived at the same conclusion separately – just before we both dozed off.

Oh, well, there he goes finally – Petraeus is lying about Iraqi forces. Whew – he could have said that in the first two minutes and spared us the dreary voice.

Antonia Juhasz (second from right in photo), intends to give testimony that supports the brave troops deployed in Iraq, let’s see if she does. Well, since she just told us that the war is illegal from beginning and that the troops have an obligation to the Constitution to refuse to serve in the war. So I guess that support for the troops deteriorates if they don’t mutiny. That only took minutes to go from support to disdain. Oh, God, more big words (oh, she’s a minority, so that gives her more credibility).

Iraq is unsafe for Iraqis. Oh, Haliburton gets mentioned – how did I know that? She’s complaining about Bremer – how long has Bremer been gone? Iraqis were hostile to the reorganization of Iraq because they’d gotten fired. But corporations like Bechtel were just there for the money, so they dragged out rebuilding the infrastructure. 2 1/2 million Iraqis are urged not to return to Iraq – because the infrastructure hasn’t been restored. Of course, the whole war was about oil and about making money for US corporations – and you have to admit that or you just won’t see it all her way. Snooze time!

Jeremy Scahill (first on right) is upset that Blackwater security aren’t getting thrown in prison. Only two have been convicted he says. 170 companies provide Blackwater-type services in Iraq. He’s upset that private companies supporting US troops are making money – that they’re taking advantage of Iraqis and they poison water they provide for US troops (seems their contract would abruptly end if they did that – there’s no evidence, just believe what they’re telling us).

“Don’t drink the koolaid of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama” (energetic applause- finally something we all have in common – I found a home)

Oh, I see we have to make them stand for immediate withdrawal – not support John McCain – I must’ve misunderstood where he was going.

Category: Antiwar crowd, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Protests/Rallies, Winter Soldier II Live blogging