IVAW Will Launch New Strategy to End the War in Iraq

An e-mail from Kelly Dougherty - IVAW

Dear IVAW Supporter,



IVAW Will Launch New Strategy to End the War in Iraq

Dear IVAW Supporter,

After months of intensive planning and training of over one hundred of our members nationwide in a series of strategy retreats, IVAW is preparing to launch our “Bring the War Home” campaign – a series of actions that will galvanize the national movement to end the war and convince everyday Americans that to support the troops, we must end the war now. IVAW members, along with the invaluable help of our allies, have the unique power to debunk the myth that to support the troops, you must support the war. We will be organizing within the military and veteran communities to send a message loud and clear: Members of the military are not supporting the war in Iraq. Our “Bring the War Home” campaign consists of the following elements:

1. IVAW will support active duty men and women who refuse orders to deploy to Iraq. We will put ourselves on the line to protect these brave men and women of conscience and use the media to dramatize their decision not to go to Iraq. The Pentagon estimates that there are 40,000 soldiers who have gone AWOL since September 11th, 2001.
2. IVAW members will bring our truth-in-recruiting campaign to military recruiting centers, schools and college campuses around the country to let potential recruits know about the realities of military service and the Iraq war. Thousands of recruits don’t know they can change their mind even after signing their military contract.
3. IVAW will kick off a summer bus tour visiting military bases and their surrounding communities to recruit new IVAW members and inform servicemen and women about their rights and ability to oppose the Iraq war. A 2006 Zogby poll of the troops in Iraq showed 72% supported withdrawal within a year.

We Found a New Office – Your Financial Support Desperately Needed!

IVAW is growing faster than ever. We receive on average 10 new members each week, and we have developed 4 new IVAW chapters in a little over one month. IVAW held 4 strategy retreats between January and early April and are preparing to launch a compelling series of highly publicized actions this summer. And all of this from a tiny 9 foot by 19 foot shoebox of an office! As you can imagine, it has become physically impossible for our 4-person team to function effectively in these tight quarters. We have finally secured a new larger office that can accommodate our need for growth, but we won’t be able to make this move without knowing we have the funds to pay rent. Please click here to make a donation today to support this critical need.

IVAW is Growing Fast – 4 New Chapters in 5 Weeks!

We are happy to announce the formation of our first chapter on an active-duty military base – Ft. Drum, NY. Other recently formed chapters include Philadelphia, PA; Burlington, VT; and Denver, CO. This brings the total number of IVAW chapters to sixteen.

IVAW Members Use Art to Tell Their Stories

Last weekend, IVAW members participated in the Warrior Writers project which brings together Iraq vets to do creative writing about their military and war experiences. The project was launched at the opening of an art exhibit at Green Door Studio in Burlington, VT which featured an exhibit of work by and about IVAW members. For photos and interviews from this event, check out this link: www.sevendaysvt.com/features/2007/peace-talks.html.

Up-Coming IVAW Events, April 27-29

This weekend, there will be two events in Watertown, NY near Fort Drum featuring IVAW member and Marine Corps veteran, Liam Madden, organizer of the Appeal for Redress and Anthony Arnove, author of Iraq, The Logic of Withdrawal. For more information on these events, go to: www.ivaw.org/ivawevents.

Also, IVAW has been invited by the band, Rage Against the Machine to appear at the Coachella Music Festival, where Rage will re-unite for the first time in seven years. IVAW will speak from the stage and have a table set up in Rage’s tent, reaching a potential audience of the over 180,000 people expected to gather for this annual three-day event in Indio, CA.

As always, I thank you for your on-going support. As friends and allies of IVAW, you are the ones truly supporting the troops.

Warmest Regards,

Kelly Dougherty
Former Sergeant, Army National Guard
Executive Director
Iraq Veterans Against the War