Saturday, August 23, 2008

Action to Keep National Guard in NJ

After no one at the governor's office a week ago Friday would accept copies of the petition to keep New Jersey's National Guard from deployment to Iraq, Jack Donnelly, Policy Advisor to Governor Corzine on Military and Veterans' Affairs, agreed to accept the petitions at the weekly peace vigil at the National Guard Armory in Teaneck on Wednesday, September 3.

In a press release, petitition organizers also asked that vigil participants "please bring school supplies, baby supplies, and/or food for the Family Assistance Center at the National Guard Armory. Many of the families are really hurting during the deployment of their loved ones."

Activists at the vigil will also describe their efforts to gather support for a bill currently in the NJ State legislature, Senate Joint Resolution 55, which instructs Governor Corzine to refuse to send the Guard to Iraq and to return any Guard currently serving in Iraq to New Jersey. The legal basis for this resolution is explained in SJR55. "The New Jersey National Guard, now in Iraq, must be recalled and returned with their equipment to the Garden State immediately to serve the needs of the people of the State during emergencies," said Paula Rogovin, of Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County.

"Governor Corzine has legal grounds to order our National Guard to return home immediately," said Leigh Davis, a NJ coordinator of Keep the National Guard Home - It's the Law. "We want him to stand up and do what should have been done last October - reject an illegal order. States across the nation have legislation pending to return full control of their National Guard troops to the Governors."

"The war in Iraq has wreaked havoc on the U.S. troops (4138 killed and tens of thousands wounded) and contractors (1,200 killed) and on their families who face financial hardship and ruin, and who are left to support loved ones returning with PTSD, alcoholism and high rates of suicides," said Madelyn Hoffman, Director of New Jersey Peace Action. "The Federal Government is sending our National Guard personnel to be prison guards in a powder-keg situation," said Hoffman. "Instead, our NJ Guard members and their equipment should be here in New Jersey to protect the people of New Jersey in case of emergencies. Now is the time to work round the clock to bring all the troops home as quickly as possible."

For more information about the state and national efforts to de-federalize the National Guard, please visit www.bringhometheguard.org or www.bringtheguardhome.org.

People can also sign a petition supporting SJR 55 and contact their state legislators to demand the Guard be brought back from Texas to New Jersey, by visiting www.bergenjustice.net.

Monday, August 18, 2008

NJ National Guard Update

On Friday, a delegation from around NJ went to Trenton to deliver petitions with over 4000 signatures calling on Governor Corzine to take a stand NOW to keep the NJ National Guard here in New Jersey. After months of trying to set up a meeting with the Governor or his staff, there was no one at his office who would meet with us about the issue or even accept the petitions. One staff member, after much prodding, agreed to help set up a meeting. While the Gov claims to oppose the use of our National Guard in Iraq, he has done nothing at all to try to keep them here to serve the needs of the people of NJ. What a disgrace!

Please take time in the next several weeks to collect signatures on petition and flyer for the campaign cancel the deployment of the NJ National Guard and to bring them back to New Jersey where they belong. It will be available at the Wednesday vigil and at www.bringtheguardhome.org. We hope you will make copies and go with friends to supermarkets, street fairs, concerts, etc. to collect signatures. On Tuesday, September 23, we plan to go to the Teaneck Town Council to urge them to support the NO New Jersey National Guard in Iraq – Keep NJ Safe! resolution which has been introduced in the NJ State Legislature. If you want to introduce a resolution in your town council, please let us know, and we’ll support that effort.

Peace NOW!

Paula Rogovin,
Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County
www.mfsobergencounty.org

Saturday, August 16, 2008

New Cold War

The administration has been poking a stick in Russia's eye for years. Why do we need missile sites in Poland and Czechlovakia? The stated justification is "protection from Iran." Ludicrous. Has Iran got a beef with Poland? More likely, it is the neo-con policy of continuing projection of US power; yes, let's get another war going.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Abolish NATO Now!

Dear Chapter 21 Members and Friends,

Not long ago somebody asked me what we'll do once the Iraqi situation is resolved. My reply was that ending the Iraq war is only the beginning. We would still have a tremendous task ahead of us like ending militarism in the U.S., promoting peace and justice, etc, etc.

One thing that was on my mind at that time was the NATO problem. To begin with, NATO was formed during the "Cold War" to check the alleged expansion of the Soviet Empire and counter the combined military might of the Warsaw Pact. As all of you know, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact are now relics on the junk heap of history. One would have thought that NATO would been on that same junk heap, but that was not the case. Instead, there's been a bipartisan effort by the U.S. Government to expand NATO into Eastern Europe and beyond, including former Soviet Republics like Georgia. Please note that the cost of this expansion is being paid for by U.S. taxpayers. In addition, Georgia was slated to become a NATO member in the very near future in return for supplying two thousand troops to Bush's war of aggression in Iraq.

The question I have is what would have happened if Georgia were already a NATO member? Would the United States be required to declare war on Russia? Would the Caucasus be the ignition point of a global conflagration like Bosnia was in the last century. I for one believe that expanding NATO into that part of world, or for that fact anywhere, makes the likelihood of a much larger war a very serious possibility. Therefore, I hope all of you will seriously consider adding the abolishment of NATO to your list of things to do as far as promoting peace and justice worldwide.

Peace, Justice and Solidarity,

Ken Dalton, President
Alan Reilly-Gene Glazer Chapter 021 Veterans For Peace, New Jersey
Life Member,Vietnam Veterans Against the War
EN2, U.S.N. 1970-74 USS Monticello LSD 35 USS Grand Canyon AR28