Green Party military vets/candidates voice support for Army platoon's ‘disobedience' in Iraq; Blame Congress, President

GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2004

Contacts:
Cres Vellucci, State Press Office, 916-996-1970,
Beth Moore Haines, GPCA Spokesperson, 530-277-0610,
Sara Amir, GPCA Spokesperson, 310-270-7106,

SACRAMENTO – Green Party candidates for Congress and Legislature – all military veterans – said Monday they support the military reservists who disobeyed a direct order in Iraq last week because the reservists believed the order was illegal.

The Green candidates – who are all opposed to the war, but support U.S. troops – said the real blame should go to Congress and President Bush for starting the ill-fated war, and not the 18-member platoon who refused to deliver a shipment of fuel because their equipment was unsafe.

"I support the decision of those soldiers to refuse to carry out illegal orders in an illegal conflict which is killing and maiming innocent civilians, and Americans," said Tom Lash, a Navy veteran, and Green congressional candidate in the 46th CD (Orange).

"It is only just to refuse an illegal order. The only moral thing to do is bring the troops home as soon as possible and allow the people of Iraq self determination to forge their own future without the interference from the American military," he added.

A decorated, two-tour veteran of Vietnam, now running for State Assembly, also put the fault on commanders and the war.

"I abhor this mindless type of military leadership that carries a disregard for humanity. It demonstrates a calloused and cavalier view that our youth, who enter the military for education or vocational opportunities, and are merely seen as ‘cannon fodder' and expendable," said Tom Hutchings, Green candidate in the 33rd AD (San Luis Obispo).

Gary Waayers, a former Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer and Green congressional candidate in the 50th CD (San Diego), said: "Let's hold the chain of command responsible, starting with President Bush, for sending American soldiers in harm's way with less then adequate protection. The only leadership that seemed to work in the case of a supply unit saying no to death was the non-commissioned officer of that platoon."

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The Green Party of California
http://www.cagreens.org
P.O. Box 2828, Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
gpca@greens.org