Perry O'Brien, IVAW, former medic: In January 2003, O’Brien was deployed to Afghanistan for eight months. While he was there, he had many experiences that made him uncomfortable. Several times he witnessed an Afghan civilian die on the operating table after treatment from a mobile military surgical unit. Rather than prepare the corpse for the family, O’Brien witnessed the surgeons and the medics use the body to practise on.
“One doctor said, ‘Come up and feel his heart!’ This is what a heart feels like.’ ”
Half the platoon, if not more, participated. Daniel Paulsen, 27, was there and corroborates this story. There are photographs as well. Someone had grabbed O’Brien’s digital camera and taken photographs of the heart and the medics walking around and poking it. These photographs were taken for fun.
Now who do you think might have been the person who grabbed O'Brien's camera and taken those photos? I wonder if O'Brien will be making all of those photos part of his exhibit at WSII? If he does, I wonder if he shows up in any of them, and if so, what is his demeanor in the photos? And if he's not in the photos, might it be because he's the one taking the pictures?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what good ol' Perry O'Brien testifies.
And this little bit also caught my eye...
Resolute pro-war organisations such as Gathering of Eagles are gearing up, getting ready to make their presence felt. They are chartering bus-loads of protesters to show up at the event to confront and harass the “traitors”.
The veterans who will be testifying at Winter Soldier are prepared for their integrity and credibility to be called into question.
Before anyone can testify, they must go through the verification process and be interviewed by a team of combat veterans whom they hope will be able to instinctively detect lies. IVAW is particularly vigilant since Jesse Macbeth joined in 2006 and represented them publicly at various events. Macbeth’s accounts of military service as a veteran of Iraq were false, which he admitted in federal court in 2007.
Since then the organisation has demanded proof of service, and every member must have a DD-214 – their Pentagon-issued personal-service record, which proves where and with whom they have served.
Members are asked to complete a detailed questionnaire. Under the heading Killing or Wounding Noncombatants, Prisoners or Unarmed Combatants, they are asked: “Did you witness or participate in any of the following: Civilians hurt or killed at checkpoints? Purposeful killing of civilians or unarmed combatants? Killing or wounding of prisoners? If yes, was this unit SOP [standard operating procedure] or common practice?”
Some other headings include: Mishandling and Mutilation of War Dead; Torture or Abuse; Rape, Sexual Assault or Harassment; Theft or Fraud.
When the testimonies begin on March 13, we shall discover how damaging or revelatory their stories will be. Perry O’Brien has confidence in the process. “Someone coming into our organisation and trying to pretend they observed something they didn’t – they can only maintain that for so long.”
Once the stories are told, each is to be researched by interviewing other members of the soldier’s unit. The verification team has recently decided that anyone fabricating their experience or pretending to be a veteran will be handed over to the authorities and charged with violating the Stolen Valor Act, a law signed by President Bush in 2006.
Now isn't that special?
They will let these people testify in public about "war crimes" they witnessed, with the media in attendance and ready to run with the stories as front page revelations.
And then at some later date, they will verify the stories for truthfullness. After the media has done their job of spreading unverified allegations.
Sounds like these folks want jobs with Dick Durbin, Jack Murtha, Harry Reid, etc.
ping!
We who were defamed by them then were deficient in that we said too little in our own defense. Never again.
Every last one of them that says they committed war crimes should arrested on the spot and charged with whatever they say they are guilty of.
Newly Discovered Army Reports Discredit “Winter Soldier” Claims
Front Page Magazine ^ | February 25, 2008 | Scott Swett
Posted on 02/25/2008 3:56:16 by Conservative Vermont Vet
MY COMMENTS:
We need your help. From reading this article by Scott Swett, many of you will not doubt be aware of the Winter Soldier Investigation I and some may even be aware of the schedule, Winter Soldier Investigation redux, which he outlines therein.
Many of the same “bad actors,” phony, lying, traitors, who were involved in WSI (I) are supporting and encouraging this yet again, attempt to impugn, denigrate, belittle and generally, harm our brave men and women who are in the military and primarily, those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If should come as no surprise that the Vietnam Veterans Against War (VVAW) who were instrumental in the first Kangaroo Court “Investigation,” helped organize and continue to support the Iraq Veterans Against War (IVAW).
Those of us who suffered intently for some 35 years as a result of this injustice are committed to insure that we do not have a repeat performance next month and have another entire generation of heroes, be saddled with the same burden for years and portrayed as dope-smoking, baby-killing, psychos (absent a scintilla of credible evidence of same) simply for having served their country.
The one person most responsible for what we endured, is none other than that traitorous, Rat-Bast*ard, SOB, John “Francois” Kerry.
In 2004, I worked with many other Vietnam Vets, (including Scott, Capt. Larry Bailey, Ret.—“Kerry Lied and Good Men Died,”—John O’Neill—“Unfit for Command,” The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and many others to help expose the phony, fraudulent, traitor, Kerry, as well as the VVAW and we were successful in helping to defeat this piece of scum.
There are quite of few of us who hoped and prayed that he would seek the Dhimi nomination this year, for while we were successful in putting nails in his coffin, we were prepared to bury him (and his sycophant band of lying acolytes) once and for all. I am personally convinced that the primary reason he didn’t was that he knew he would be pressured and forced to initiate and provide a Form 180 (which he NEVER has) and this would not only ruin him personally, but would have exposed the anti war movement for what it truly was.
That said, this gives us yet another opportunity to shine the light of truth and justice on Kerry, the VVAW and the so called “witnesses,” who gave false testimony during WSI (I) and at the same time, help insure this travesty is not repeated with the upcoming WSI (II).
Please pass this around to one and all and send notices to in the media who you think will be willing to help and publicize this event, especially to talk radio, as we all know the Lame Stream Media, while they will no doubt report on it—providing they can use it to attack the war and further their Hate America First and BDS syndrome—but will definitely not be objective or disseminate any news which adversely reflects on those who participate in this farce.
There will be more information forthcoming on this event and I know we can count of all of you here to do whatever you can help protect our brave military.
Should there be any credible, “Documented and “Witnessed,” charges brought forth, then by all means, those accused should be held accountable for their actions. However, if those participating are merely going to lob charges which can not be substantiated or as most did in 1971, refuse to cooperate with military authorities, then they need to be held accountable for providing false information and have their innuendoes and lies exposed for what they are. We also know that we have been exposed to so called Iraq Vets, who have leveled serious allegations against their fellow brothers and sisters, only to be found out as frauds and liars and there is no reason to expect any less (or more of same) in this upcoming charade.
Had we had the alternative media available today in 1971, we would not have had to endure such pain and suffering we underwent and the entire anti war movement would have been exposed for what it was. Who knows, we may have actually prevailed in Vietnam and the outcome might been favorable and victorious (which it actually was) as opposed to a defeat (which militarily, it never was) as perceived by many as a result of so much of so much disinformation, propaganda, negative reporting and traitorous behavior by a handful of despicable American citizens, aided and abetted by a corrupt media.
For so many years, most of us were (made to feel) ashamed of our service and actually hid the fact that we were Vietnam Veterans. In 2004, many of us came out of the closet and now are proud of having served. The same occurrence must NEVER happen again and I ask all of you (and those you know) to please help insure this does not come about.
NEVER AGAIN!!!
ALSO, SEE: Eagles Up http://eaglesup.us/
A large part of the British press has sunk to unbelievably low levels of misinformation.
The NLG is a longtime Communist front fully funded by Moscow during the Soviet period. I guess that didn't warrant a mention.
When it takes 10 to 20 pages to post an opinion it is usually wrong
pinging to remember to bring a copy of my DD form 214 that weekend for Eagles Up.
I have no problem with that.
They will let these people testify in public about "war crimes" they witnessed, with the media in attendance and ready to run with the stories as front page revelations.And then at some later date, they will verify the stories for truthfullness. After the media has done their job of spreading unverified allegations.
I'm sure the New York Times will immediately announce all who were "fabricating their experience or pretending to be a veteran" and denounce them on the front page along with a retraction of Times news coverage of the circus. < /barf>
As a Vietnam Era veteran I recall the lies and treason committed during the inappropriately named Winter Soldier 1.
As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders I work to see that never again will one group of veterans be denied or abondoned by another group of veterans. I will make every effort to show our TROOPS that these few malcontents do not represent the majority of other Veterans nor the Ameican people in general.The moonbats have many protests scheduled during this period of time, including one in Valley Forge, Pa. I hope to be present there to counter their hatred towards America
Gee. Funny how that ALWAYS seems to be the case in these types of things.
And how about this?
"...Since then the organisation has demanded proof of service, and every member must have a DD-214 – their Pentagon-issued personal-service record, which proves where and with whom they have served...."
I just looked at my DD-214, because I don't recall it listing where and with whom I served. It simply states my last duty station and what my various training was. While it will weed out Jesse Macbeths, but it is hardly a vetting process. Granted that was quite a while ago, and they may have changed the DD-214 to show more of that info.
Any newer Vets want to comment on that?
bump
John Kerry lied before Congress in 1971 during the so-called “Winter Soldier Investigation”. He denigrated his fellow veterans with fabricated tales about atrocities he never witnessed, and hopped into the political sack with Jane Fonda, and the V.V.A.W. (Vietnam Veterans Against the War); a wonderful organization that voted on whether to commit political assassinations during a November 1971 meeting. He also traveled to Hanoi, shook hands with the VC, and offered his support. His picture still hangs in the Ho Chi Mihn museum. His “war hero” persona has some flaws. The embellished circumstances involving his Purple Hearts and his subsequent behavior are clearly indicative of lack of character, integrity, and the leadership it takes to be a respected member of our government. He shouldn’t have been a Senator, let alone Presidential candidate.
The IVAW brings shame on themselves in an attempt to drag all veterans into the gutter of their anti-military/anti-war ‘activism’. They abuse their status as “veterans” for the purpose of bad-mouthing the WOT as well as the country.
They feed the maws of radical groups like Code Pink, A.N.S.W.E.R., and MoveOn.org, and serve as a propaganda tool for Islamofascists who don’t like the fact we struck back and are erradicating them on their own turf.
There will be a lot of leftwingnut rhetoric at their little get-together, but they should know that most veterans will defy their bullshit.
The Left loves to tout groups like the IVAW as if they are ‘heros’ bucking the system, when in reality, there’s no honor or bravery in collaborating and joining ranks with an organization of traitorous malcontents.
I wonder if John Kerry will be on hand.
On second thought you know what we are going to get....
A lot of “well I never saw it but....
and I wasn’t there but...
and a few I heard of an incident”....
Every last one of these war criminals should be hounded for what they have done or at least say they have done to the full extent of the letter of the law, this country owes it to the honor of those who have been wrongly accused to do nothing less then expose the lies and CONVICT THE GUILTY.