IVAW, police face-off
While the Democrats were enjoying their convention last night, IVAW was leading an estimated crowd of 3500 protesters (varying sources put the number at 5000 and 7000, so you tell me) and demanded they be given time at the DNC podium to read Barack Obama their three aims. Those aims being;
Removing U.S. troops from Iraq immediately, providing full health care benefits to returning veterans, and paying reparations to Iraqis for the damage done during the war.
According to the Denver Post, there was a “tense stand off” between police and the veterans;
The veterans were arrayed in formation and in uniform, marching slowly toward a line of police, who had warned them they could be pepper sprayed and arrested. They were being watched by a crowd estimated by police at more than 5,000, many of whom had marched with the veterans from the Denver Coliseum.
As the vets got within a few yards of the police, the cavalry arrived in the form of two white-shirted Obama staffers who asked a representative of the veterans to be escorted inside the security zone.
After a brief conversation, a veteran’s representative said they had been promised a meeting with Obama’s liason for veteran’s affairs. A cheer went up, the veterans did an about face, and the Democrats appear to have avoided providing John McCain with some very unflattering video footage of veteran’s being pepper-sprayed hogtied and handcuffed outside their convention.
Another story, however shows up on the Indypendent;
The march was met with a line of more than 100 Denver Police Department officers clad in riot gear and armed with batons and pepper ball guns at the intersection of Market and 17th Streets. The police refused to let IVAW or the thousands of antiwar demonstrators closer to the convention. After long moments of contention between the demonstration and the police, finally one IVAW representative, former U.S. Marine Liam Madden, was allowed to cross police lines to meet with representatives of the Obama campaign.
As Madden left on his mission, it seemed as if more than 50 IVAW members were prepared to engage in non-violent civil disobedience and likely arrest. Less than 10 minutes later, at approximately 7:40pm (CT), an announcement was made by IVAW to the crowd, indicating that Obama had endorsed their three points of unity, causing the crowd to uproar in applause.
Some veterans were visibly emotional by the end of the march. In a highly stirring and symbolic moment, members of IVAW gave a peace salute towards the direction of the Pepsi Center. There was then a moment of silence for casualties of the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Sen. Obama, we won’t forget this,” said Jeff Engelhart, IVAW member who served in Baquba, Iraq, with the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division, to the crowd via microphone and loud speakers. He went on to indicate that if Sen. Obama did not make good on his endorsement, more antiwar protests would come.
Well, there’s no confirmation that Obama endorsed their three points, in fact his website hasn’t changed one word of his plan for Iraq. The Rocky Mountain News confirms the Denver Post story that all the veterans got was a meeting, no endorsement of their three points;
Iraq War veterans who led a march through the streets of Denver won a meeting with a liaIson from Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign.
The news ended a tense standoff between the veterans and riot police near and entrance to the convention, and brought tears to the eyes of several vets.
So, the Leftist independent media either got it wrong, or they intentionally lied. If they honestly think that Obama will ever agree to reparations to Iraq or immediate withdrawal from Iraq, they’re seriously deluded. I wonder if John Solz is taking notes on the people in the picture above and getting ready to dress them down for expressing political views while wearing a uniform.
I have yet to see the big guns of the IVAW in Denver, yet. Apparently, they’re in Minnesota for the Republican convention.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Liberals suck, Media
“So, the Leftist independent media either got it wrong, or they intentionally lied.”
IVAW Lied, Soldiers Died
I’m surprised the let Mister Bean represent the mob.
In the meantime, one of IVAW puppet masters, Thompson Bradley, is celebrating an anniversary. It was 40 years ago that he met with the Viet Cong in Budapest, Hungary. He came back believing not a IVAW lie, but a Viet Cong one, that they were stronger after Tet. An account also has him supporting the Viet Cong program of assainating village leaders.
Way to go IVAW…
Jonn
Call me a cynic, but can you just see it? “The Messiah promised that he would do all of these things for US, and now, let’s sing. Kumbayah Messiah, Kumbayah…Gosh, he’s such a great diplomat. You see how easy it was to calm us all down and just TALK?” Are these people really that dumb? Yeah, don’t answer that…
When I first saw that picture, my initial thought was how those IVAW members were disgracing the uniform. If they’re active duty, they are also violating DOD Directive 1325.6 Section 3.5.6:
3.5.6. Off-Post Demonstrations by Members. Members of the Armed Forces are prohibited from participating in off-post demonstrations when they are on-duty, in a foreign country, when their activities constitute a breach of law and order, when violence is likely to result, or when they are in uniform in violation of DoD Directive 1334.1 (reference (d)).
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080827/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_rage_against_the_machine
DENVER – A column of people three blocks long, led by members of the Iraq Veterans Against the War, streamed from the Denver Coliseum on Wednesday in an anti-war protest march to the Pepsi Center, where the Democratic National Convention is being staged.
As many as 50 soldiers wearing army fatigues led the noisy but peaceful protest into downtown and toward the Pepsi Center as police and bystanders watched.
“Removing U.S. troops from Iraq immediately, providing full health care benefits to returning veterans, and paying reparations to Iraqis for the damage done during the war.”
Translation: Cut and run, exploit fellow veterans, and bribe terrorists.
There. Fixed.
Why is it that veterans, who protest against the war have to wear uniforms? It doesn’t seem like veterans that support winning the war need to wear their uniforms.
Well Jeff kay doesn’t always wear a uniform. I mean what uniform would a porn star wear?
It was not a breach of law and order. I’ll be posting on my own blog about it.
A.S. I believe the phrase “or when they are in uniform in violation of DoD Directive 1334.1 (reference (d)).” is the one you need to be looking at.
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html/133401.htm
3. POLICY
It is DoD policy that:
3.1. The wearing of the uniform by members of the Armed Forces (including retired members and members of Reserve components) is prohibited under any of the following circumstances:
3.1.3. Except when authorized by the approval authorities in subparagraph 4.1.1., when participating in activities such as unofficial public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies or any public demonstration, which may imply Service sanction of the cause for which the demonstration or activity is conducted.
3.1.4. When wearing of the uniform may tend to bring discredit upon the Armed Forces.”
Did you have authorization? I’ll bet not. And you sure as hell have been trying to bring discredit on the Armed Forces. I hope they throw the book at the lot of you.
Everyone of these freaks is riding the V.A. disability system or have a claim pending due to mental problems. Time for the V.A. to stand up and declare them ineligable for disability pay since they can travel and protest, then they can work. See how many show their face in public again.
If any of y’all care to increase the numbers on the sitemeter at Army Sergeant’s blog; come back and tell us how she will get around the uniform issue. I have no intention of showing up at her site. Thanks.
nuf sed