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By Anthony Wagner,
U.S. Army, Combat Veteran
The We Are Not Your Soldiers speaking tour is a crucial instrument in the counter military recruitment campaign being launched by the World Can’t Wait organization.
As a veteran of the Iraq war affected by PTSD, it’s difficult to talk about some of the abhorrent atrocities that are rife in combat, but I truly feel that it would be irresponsible of me to not speak out against the continuing crimes of our government. I didn’t serve this country for 6 years to sit back and watch as the atrocities continue to unfold. With the We Are Not Your Soldiers speaking tour I’m going into the high schools of my community and offering up an honest commentary on the realities of combat and military life.
I myself was recruited out of high school. After spending a year in Baghdad with the First Cavalry Division in 2004, my life has never been the same. I was a Bradley Crewmember awarded the Combat Action Badge on the notorious and deadly Route Irish. A lot of our younger brothers and sisters are coaxed into propagating this senseless war with promises of a better life, good health care, and college money.
Of course, these benefits come at a cost that military recruiters are reluctant to talk about. And that’s where we need more of my fellow Veterans to come in. I know there are other veterans out there who can understand how critical it is to speak out against these illegal and immoral wars that are clearly being fought for EMPIRE and not “freedom”. I refuse to stand by, doing nothing, while military recruiters go into the high schools and recruit the youth in our communities to fuel this festival of ignorance called, the “War on Terror”.
We, as Military Veterans have certainly earned the right to redress grievances with our government, and right now my grievance is with the despicable “Poverty Draft” taking place in America. My fellow OIF/OEF Veterans, please, help out in this effort to stem the flow of bodies returning in flag-draped boxes and atrocities committed in our name. Speak out on a We Are Not Your Soldiers speaking tour in a city near you.
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"Stop the war" sang Jimmy Cliff at Glastonbury 2011, changing the title of his 1960s anti-war hit Vietnam to Afghanistan. Bob Dylan called Vietnam the best protest song he ever heard. Jimmy Cliff's many hits include Wild World, You Can Get It If You Really Want It, I Can See Clearly Now, Wonderful World Beautiful People. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
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