Don’t let the numbers fool you. This is big–because the troops aren’t supposed to speak out against Preznit Chucklenuts.
President Bush’s plan to send additional troops to Iraq is facing public opposition from a slice of the American population that rarely speaks out: the military rank and file.
A group of service members came to Capitol Hill on Tuesday armed with signatures from more than 1,000 military personnel who oppose the war.
“We will not be silent while thousands die,” said Sgt. Liam Madden, 22, an active-duty Marine and Iraq war veteran who is helping lead the effort to organize resistance to the war from inside the military.
Madden and other service members leading the campaign, which they are calling Appeal for Redress, urged Congress to stop the troop escalation and find a way to begin bringing forces home from Iraq.
The 1,000 signatories represent a tiny fraction of the military personnel who have served in and around Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
But according to the group, those who have signed the appeal include around 100 officers. About 70 percent of the signatories are active-duty military, while the rest are reservists or members of the National Guard, said Madden, who added that the group will not reveal the names of the signatories to protect them.
Support the troops, folks–especially when they say enough is enough.