IVAW e-newsletter

[unhappycamper]

Dear IVAW Supporter,

Among the many stories that too often get left out of the media's coverage of this war are those of the soldiers who have refused to continue to serve in a military being used to fight an illegal and immoral war.
Supporting war resisters in Canada

Since the beginning of the Iraq war, many soldiers who refuse to fight have crossed the border into Canada seeking refuge. Some of them make up our Toronto chapter, and all of them live with the knowledge that they may soon be deported back to the US to face trials, incarcerations, or worse, for standing up for what is right. These men and women deserve our respect and our support, and there are several ways you can help their cause today and in the coming months.

Courage to Resist is pushing for a provision of sanctuary for U.S. war resisters in Canada that would allow them to avoid deportation. On January 25th, vigils and demonstrations will be held in the United States, and delegations will be sent to local Canadian consulates to demonstrate that many Americans support a vote in the Canadian Parliament that would provide for that sanctuary. You can join local actions in Washington D.C., New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, and you can help organize in other parts of the country as well.

Joining this movement is a concrete way that you can show support for those who resist this war. Here's what you can do to help:

* Join an action on January 25th and 26th
* Sign the letter “Dear Canada: Let U.S. War Resisters Stay!” and encourage others to sign.
* Organize a delegation to a Canadian Consulate near you.
* Host an event or house-party in support of war resisters.

Go to www.couragetoresist.org to find out more and get involved today!
Bringing the truth home

As word continues to spread about Winter Soldier (four days of testimony coming up in March about the realities of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan) more and more veterans and active duty service members are contacting us to find out how they can add their stories and experiences to this important event. Thank you to everyone who's helped us spread the word!

Our members are working hard to collect and verify testimony, provide legal and mental health support, and prepare travel, housing, and event logistics for what will be IVAW's biggest project to date. But our members can't do it alone - while they're volunteering their time, they need your support to pay for travel, cell phone minutes, recordings of testimony and all the other expenses that will need to be paid for to make this project a success. You can help us spread the truth about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by ( https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=11951 )making a donation today.

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

P.S. Our members are working hard organizing new chapters, recruiting new members, and preparing for Winter Soldier. We need your support to continue this work. Please make a donation today!